Giving in to Hate
by Dancesnapple
Summary: Trained by a Orochimaru. Influenced by the Fox. Can those close to him stop him before he brings the village to flames? Hope falls to the Sharingan and Byakugon.
1. Chapter 1

"Come in." An elder voice sounds. The door slowly opens as a man with a large scroll walks in. The man had brown hair and a scar across the bridge of his nose. The scroll he had was the very thing half the village had just spent the night looking for.

"Lord Hokage." the man greeted.

"Ah, Iruka. It's good that you're alright. I trust Mizuki is in custody?" Hiruzen Sarutobi sat, elbows on the desk with his hands together in a presented manner.

"He is, or what's left. Naruto did a real number on him." Iruka stated, slightly down that his one time friend was a traitor.

"Is the scroll intact?"

"Yes." Iruka sets the scroll onto the Hokage's desk.

"Good, and how's Naruto?"

"..." Nothing. No response.

Hiruzen's mood darkens. "Where is he?"

Iruka looks away. "He. . .disappeared after what he did to Mizuki."

Hiruzen snaps out of his chair. "WHAT?!"

(DAYS LATER)

"Class, quiet! Settle down!" Iruka yelled upon entering the room. "Today we will be assigning you your teams."

"I call Sasuke!" Ino

"ME AND SASUKE ALONE!" random slut.

"He's mine. CHA!" Sakura.

"HE'S AN EMO!" A random guy calls out to try to shut them up, only to be mobbed by three girls around him. Suddenly, everyone shivered as they felt killing intent flooding from Iruka.

"SETTLE DOWN!" They all fall into their seats in silence. Iruka coughs to clear his throat. "Due to a few problems in the past few days, there have been a few issues with team placements."

"Tch. What problems? Did Naruto raid the records again?" Kiba chuckled. "I swear the dead last loser has a habit of pissing off the ANBU."

"Where is he, anyway?" One guy asked.

"Who cares, you know he didn't pass." A girl answered as whispering started.

Iruka coughed once more to gain attention. "Naruto actually passed very well, but has been missing for the past week. You were all informed of the incident with your former teacher Mizuki?"

Several students gasped a bit while others nodded.

"That is what complicated today's events. However we must continue. We have someone to fill Naruto's spot for the team selections, so let us move on. Team 1 will be. . ."

Up in the seats, one student in particular was panicking. One Hinata Hyuga. "N. . . Naruto?"

"Ehh, he's fine I'm sure." She hears behind her. She turns to see Shikamaru, half asleep. "He's such a drag."

"Uh. . um. Yeah." Hinata looks forward.

"Team 7 will be: Sasuke Uchiha-" Cheers of joy! "Sakura Haruno" Cries of pain and horror! "And our fill in for Naruto."

Hinata looks down, saddened. She wasn't going to be on Naruto's team anyway it seemed.

"COME ON! Why does billboard brow get him?!" Ino was yelling.

Iruka replied less angry than usual. He seemed to reply like a smart ass to shut her up. "Because you're on Team 8 with Shikamaru and Choji." He must be affected by Naruto's absence too.

"GAAHHHH!" Ino screamed.

"Heh. What was that earlier about not being on a team with a guy like me?" Shikamaru spoke to Ino beside him smugly. Choji of course munched on chips.

"Team 9. . ."

Hinata looked over to Sasuke, who seemed to be looking around room subtly. Sakura, sadly, did notice.

"See something you like, Sasuke?" She finished with a wink. He didn't even begin to notice before he continued to stare out the window.

"Team 10 will be Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame."

She moves to join Kiba and Shino, just in time to hear Kiba mutter. "We'll be fine as long as I don't get fleas."

(ONE HOUR LATER)

Sasuke and Sakura were the only two left in the room. Sasuke seemed to still look around every once in a while. Sakura seemed to only annoy him further and further every few seconds until they came to a complete silence.

. . .

"Soooooo, Sasuke. . ." She tried to start.

"No." The first time he responded to her today! She hunched over in immediate defeat.

"At least we don't have that idiot here."

Sasuke glares at her a moment, but nonetheless, keeps quiet. They begin to hear footsteps from down the hall.

"Oh please let that be him."

The door opens. . . revealing someone their age. Pale skin, short black hair, black pants. Sleeveless gray undershirt with a one sleeved unzipped black jacket. He had scrolls and brushes instead of shuriken pouches. He look at the two, a complete fake smile.

"Hello, our sensei sent me to get you two. We're meeting on the roof."

Sakura was taken aback. "He couldn't even come by himself?"

"He is quite lazy. By the way, I am Sai. You seem like a nice girl."

Sakura blushed from the complement.

"Ugly girls usually need to be nice." He finishes.

If Sasuke had been a man of more emotion, he may have chuckled.


	2. Chapter 2

Several weeks have passed since the team selections. Sasuke, Sai, and Sakura had passed their test with Kakashi and were doing missions. This team would be known as the banter team, considering each members uncontrollable tendency to insult each other with sarcastic comments. Sasuke thinking he's better, Sai being Sai, and Sakura trying to sound smart. Although, Kakashi mediated a great deal of it.

However, a few people were wondering about a certain blonde that had up and gone. . . .

(Far away.)

A familiar blonde hid, back to the side of a building as he looked around for targets. "Hmmmmm, that one seems fine." He finds three adult men walking down the street towards him. "Alright, just as I planned." He said with a grin.

The three men walked until they found the alley Naruto had just hid in, finding a sign. This sign had a silhouette of a woman and an arrow going towards the alley. Like idiots, they of course go in. Upon entering they see a sexy blonde girl sitting with a nurse outfit on.

"Hello. Service for three?" She says seductively.

"OH YES!" The main guy says before the back two are knocked out. The alley fills with sounds of punches and kicks until our small blonde walks out with his filled frog purse.

Yes, he made a living now by beating up perverts. Neat, huh? He went down the streets, finding a place to stay as he moved into a new hotel room.

"Ahhh. So good! I miss comfy beds." He said before his stomach rumbled. He grimaced. "I'll be back soon!" He rushed out the door to the main desk. His jacket was gone, having abandoned it due to the familiar red circle on the back associated with leaf ninja. He just wore his orange pants and his black shirt. "Hey, is there a ramen place near here?"

The lady at the desk simply pointed down the road, earning a thanks.

Later in the night, Naruto laid in his bed, eyes open. He couldn't sleep well since the little revelation. He couldn't stand to go back. It was one thing when he didn't know the reason. He figured he could change the way they looked at him. He could work hard and improve the way they saw him. He would be Hokage!

However. . . that was before he knew the reason they hated him, abused him, neglected him, was because of something outside his control. Something he had nothing to do with. How could he change that? He can't! It's unfair! It's not right! He was happy Iruka didn't see him that way, but. . . one compared to a village does not even out. Iruka was also a teacher and not allowed to show favoritism so he wasn't so much help to Naruto anyway.

"What do I do. . .Ugh!" He smacked his forehead as he tried to think of a new goal. "I want to become strong, but how?" He then sat up to look in the mirror. "I need to start with a new name." He put his hand to his chin in thought. "GAH! I'll think of it another night."

(Days later)

Naruto entered the next town. "Alright, time for routine. Find perverts. Beat up perverts. Ramen!" He finished with a smile before looking up at a sign. "Open tournament? Any contender may enter. . . yada yada. . . grand pri- EHHH! 1,000,000 RYO!" His eyes glowed with excitement.

"You'll need a supervisor." Naruto gets startled as a man also looking at the sign chuckles. "You're a kid, so you'll need someone to sign off on ya."

Naruto slumps. "Damn it!" The man chuckled. "What?"

"I would sign off on ya. . . if we split the money."

Naruto's eyes once more glowed like the sun. "REALLY?!"

"Yep." The man smirks.

"Thanks. What's your name?"

"You don't need that." The man says. "And I assume you want yours hidden, so I'll make one up for you. Meet me tomorrow at 3 before it starts." The man disappears, leaving a confused Naruto.

"Whatever." Naruto turns to walk down the street with his hands behind his head.

(Tomorrow at 3)

Naruto had already met up with the guy and got into the tournament. Just a bunch of pathetic weaklings. Naruto had already beaten six contestants and was now in the finals. His name was yet to actually be announced. They would just tell him its his turn and chuck him into the ring.

He landed for the next round. "Welcome to the Finals!"

Naruto complained. "Oh now we have an announcer?"

The announcer responded. "No need for smart asses kid." The voice sounded through an intercom. "Now, we have Zaku Abumi!" The crowd cheers as a guy with gray pants, spiky hair, a beige shirt. "Vs. . . MENMA NAMIKAZE!"

Naruto seemed confused by the name, but everyone cheered nonetheless. "Bring it on-" Naruto is blasted across the arena. He hits the wall, imprinting into it hard. He stumbles to his feet, just in time to jump over the next blast. He places his hand sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Five clones appear as they all spread out, dodging blast wave after blast wave.

"COME ON!" Zaku yelled excited. "My sonic attacks will rip you apart." He spins in place, blasting everything around him, knocking Naruto away. Rolling to his feet, Naruto throws four shuriken, while Zaku just hits Naruto again with another blast. This makes Naruto poof away in smoke. "Another clone?"

The four shuriken he dodges all poof into Narutos, attacking from each side. "Take this!"

Thinking fast, Zaku throws his hands into the ground while using a full power blast, causing the area around him to blow outward in a shockwave, knocking the clones away, but hurting himself in the process. He regains his balance as he smirks. "What else you got, punk- huh?"

The smoke clears, revealing a sensually posed blonde girl with whisker marks feigning injury. "Ooo. That hurt. You're so mean!"

His response was just a dead panned face. "You gotta be kidding me. . . A simple transformation?"

Naruto twirled his hips, trying to be seductive. "It's my sexy jutsu!" This only got Zaku's eye to twitch.

"Enough of this!" He blasts fem Naruto, only to get another poof. "This is getting old!" The ground cracks under him.

"SO ARE YOU!" Naruto bursts from the ground, upper cutting Zaku up with a hard punch. Zaku is launched back onto the ground, struggling to get up.

He looks where Naruto came up. "When I blasted the ground earlier. . . is softened it enough for you to dig underneath me to ambush me." He slowly got up as Naruto took up a defensive stance with a grin. 

"You know it!" Naruto charged. "Now, stay down!" He punched Zaku into the ground, this time staying there.

"WINNER!"

Naruto cheered as he ran around in excitement. He ran up to the guy who let him into the tournament. "I DID IT! What now?"

The man chuckled. "Now, we take you."

Naruto, hearing those words, is knocked in the back of his head, getting knocked out by the man. "Yes. Lord Orochimaru has uses for you."


	3. Chapter 3

"Have you seen him?" The soft voice asked.

The man scoffed as soon as he saw the picture. "Tch. Like I care to know where that brat is." The man's tune changed in an instant however. "Because I have an eye for quality, miss Hyuga. There's plenty things here that are much more worth your time." He smiled pointing to the various items in his thrift store. Hinata's expression seemed to harden as she just turned and left.

Six times in a row! Each time she asks, they immediately dismiss the notion of finding him! Hinata had argued, well her soft spoken version of arguing, with the first few, but now she just asked and left if nothing new was brought up.

She walked to a familiar stand. She sat, waiting for the owner to walk up. The old man walked up. "Welcome! What can I get for ya'?"

She shook her head kindly and pulled up Naruto's picture. "um, I just need to know if you've seen him. Anything would be appreciated." Thank goodness she was surprised by the response this time.

"Oh, Naruto? We heard he was gone." Old man Teuchi seemed sad. "Kid hasn't appeared here for three weeks. Sorry."

She pressed forward. "Did he mention anything that might be bothering him?"

Teuchi shook his head. "I was servicing others while Ayame tended him." The girl in question came right out from the back, already hearing the conversation.

"He wasn't down about anything." She started while setting some ramen down for a man. "Here you are." Turning back to Hinata. "In fact, he was REALLY excited over something. Kept saying his sensei gave him a way. Then he headed off for the Hokage building."

Hinata perked up. "Thank you!" She began to rush out until Teuchi called out to her, making her stop. He sat down a bowl of ramen for her. She only shook her head. "No, thank you. I didn't bring money-"

"It's on the house." Teuchi said with a smile. "For looking for him." She tried to refuse, but the look he gave her said he doesn't take no for an answer. She relented and stayed for the bowl, thanking him profusely.

. . .

Later on, she made her way towards the Hokage building. Until she turned a corner, tripping over the person laying down against the wall. She fell over with an 'eep!', then rolled to her feet. "I-I'm sorry- Shikamaru?"

She was indeed in front of Shikamaru who was recovering from being stepped on. "What a drag. . . Here I was getting a good nap."

"Um. . ." Hinata looked around quickly. "Why nap here?"

He seemed to slump. "Ino's taken the mantle of 'Team Leader'. Frankly, she's awful, so I sneak away from her first chance I get with Choji. He's somewhere I'm sure."

She nodded with understanding. "Oh, well- I should be going. I'm sorry for tripping over you!" She tried to leave, but yet again found herself called back.

"Why go to the Hokage building? Shouldn't you be going to the prison?" He stated blandly. She turned back, curious what he meant. "I assume you're going there to ask about what Naruto had to do with that incident with the Scroll of Sealing?" She nodded. "Hokage's busy today with a few mishaps about a chunin team being wiped out on a recent mission to the Land of Waves from what my dad tells me."

"W-what happened?" She said with concern.

"Eh, the bridge builder guy didn't give us all the intel needed, so when we sent four chunin with him on the supposed C mission, they got killed by a rogue Jonin ninja, the builder too." _**(Awwww poor Tazuna's dead. LOL I'm evil)**_ Hinata seemed down with that news, but perked up with what he told her.

"Why the prison?"

He seemed surprised by the easy question. "To question Mizuki? Iruka sensei informed us that Naruto took the bastard down. He's the one you should talk to."

"Oh. . ." She brightened with the good news. "Thank you Shikamaru!" She ran off while he gives her a half assed wave before sleeping more.

Along the way, Hinata runs, once again, headlong into someone. This person actually skillfully twists around the falling Hinata, then catches her hood, stopping her fall as he pulled her steady. She straightened herself up, dusting herself off as she saw the blue shirt and white shorts. "I-i'm sorry, Sasuke. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. . ."

He plainly looked at her. "hm." More of an answer most people get. "Lemme guess. . ." His dead pan stare made her uncomfortable. "You're looking for Naruto?"

She slumped. How does everyone guess this?! "Y-yeah. Um, why do you ask?"

He shrugs his shoulders as he turns and walks away. "Don't know. Things are significantly boring without the loser's random challenges."

Hinata at first is dumbfounded, then smiles. "I'll let you know when I find him if you're worried."

Sasuke begins to round a corner. "As if." She saw right through it. With how easy it is to find those than despise Naruto, it's nice to find those who miss him. . . even if they're defensive about it.

She finishes making her way down to the prison just a small distance from the village. She timidly walks up to the guard, expecting some kind of hard ass. At first she shies away and starts to walk back, before remembering she needs to talk to Mizuki.

With a heavy sigh, she returns to the guard. "E-excuse me, sir. Where might I go to visit prisoners?"

The guard, very businesslike, points directly to a door into the main building. "First left down the hall. Just sign the prisoner name you want to visit."

She nods, following the instructions. She ends up in a small room, a door on each side and split down the middle with clear glass. Each side had a chair. She sat, fidgeting with her fingers. Soon enough, the other door opens as he former sensei walks in, sitting down with a dull look on his face.

Upon seeing her, his expression turns blank. "The hell do you want?" He sat down, seemingly offended. "And here I thought my first visitor would be Iruka. Instead, I get the Hyuga girl?" He then gives a creepy smile. "Maybe you had one of those teacher crushes?"

She hesitated for a while, but finally blurted out her question. "Where is Naruto?" She was quite a bit louder than she intended as it shocked both of them. It took a lot to force it out, considering her company.

He scoffed. "The demom brat? Like I know or care!"

She was curious with the name he gave for Naruto, but went on. "H-he disappeared after the incident with you... There must have been something that happened that would explain why he left."

Mizuki burst out with laughter. "THE KID JUST LEFT?! OH MY GOD, THAT'S PRICELESS!" He calmed down after almost suffocating. "I mean, after all that 'if you ever lay a hand on my sensei' crap he gave, he just up and leaves! The demon had a brain after all!"

She scowled with how much he degraded Naruto. She waited calmly while he settled down. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, save for his chuckle every so often, she continued. "Just because he defeated you doesn't make him a 'demon'."

He looked confused. "What?"

"You call him a demon as an insult." She stated. "He stopped you, so that would make him a hero. Are you calling him a demon out of fear since he's already so much stronger than you?" To be completely honest, the only reason she had the confidence to say this was because of his wording about Naruto. Had that not happened, this conversation would be done.

He scowled at her for a minute without response. Her confidence began to leave as her anger faded, causing her to avert her gaze. He smirked. "You don't know a damned thing. Your whole generation doesn't."

Before she could ask more, the restraints on him activate, causing his body to stiffen so he couldn't talk or move. A guard entered the room, grabbing and carrying him away. "Your time's up. Beat it." The guard says.

Hinata leaves the prison, now having a whole new mess of questions. Okay, so Naruto was excited about something Mizuki told him, which led to the incident. . . That would mean Mizuki used Naruto to get the scroll. Naruto, instead, stopped Mizuki from getting the scroll and, in the process, something happened to make Naruto want to leave here. Iruka himself said Naruto was not injured badly, so something he learned must have sent him over the edge. . . but what?

She then recalled his last comment. Something our whole generation doesn't know? She sighs. She's going to need help. If it's something her generation doesn't know, she needs to find someone willing to talk about it. Iruka's already given out everything he can tell. The Hokage seems a good place to start, but Shikamaru said business was keeping him busy. That leaves the sensei. Kurenai and the other two. She doesn't know either of the other two, so she wouldn't know how to approach them.

Then it hit her. Shikamaru and Sasuke! She then slumped again. She has to convince the laziest person in the world and the coldest person in the world to help her find the most commonly hated person in the world. . . great. . .

(ELSEWHERE!)

Drip. . . . . . drip. . . . . . drip. . . . . . . drip.

"That damn dripping's gonna drive me insane!" The boy tugged and struggled with the bindings on him. "SOMEONE LET ME OUT!"

He paused to catch his breath before continuing as someone else entered the room with a sigh. "Come now, Naruto. You should know by now that you can't break those."

"Screw you! I'll break out of these, and YOU'LL be the first person for me to kick the ass of! Why am I here?!" Naruto screamed quite annoyingly as he struggled.

"You'll remain here only until my master appears to talk to you. That is all. He will give you a choice. You'll make it. Then you're free." The white haired young man says as he tends to various monitors in the room. "Would you like something to eat?"

Ramen. Ramen. Ramen. Ramen. Ramen. Ramen. Ramen. Ramen. "NO! I can go for days!" Stomach growls.

"Nice try. I'll prepare something for you. This isn't an interrogation. No need to be hostile." He leaves. Naruto spends the time alone, mocking the guys words in a funny voice while he continued to struggle.

A tray sits in front of him as his chains are lengthened so he can eat. Naruto, however, shoots his favorite jutsu. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Nothing. . . "What?"

"Those bindings suppress chakra." The man says smugly while Naruto growled in anger. Naruto sat down and began to eat. After finishing, the man takes the tray and leaves, though he's back after just a moment.

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Naruto sat cross legged, knowing he couldn't break the chains and couldn't perform jutsu.

"You can call me Kabuto." The man said kindly. "Right hand of my master."

Naruto scoffed. "And who's your master?"

"I'll let him introduce himself. He loves first hand experience with people. I merely help manage his assets whenever he doesn't have a mission for me."

"Okay. . . When will he be here? I wanna get this over with."

"Oh? And where will you go after?" Kabuto replied with a hidden smirk while his tone seemed innocent. Naruto had absolutely no response. Kabuto's smile never left his face. "He's here. I believe I'll leave you two alone." He leaves the room while Naruto's confused expression stays.

"Two? No one else is here!" He turns, seeing the candles light up the massive room more, revealing a man sitting in a chair.

"Well, well. Hello, Naruto."

Naruto just glares at him. "Who the hell are you?"

"Where are my manners? I apologize. I'm Orochimaru." Naruto's expression was still blank. "I'm surprised you hadn't heard of me. Many people know of my power and influence." The snake man finished with a chuckle.

"Okay, well what do ya want?"

"To get to know you, Naruto. I see you left that despicable village." Orochimaru smirks as Naruto's eyes filled with anger.

"I don't want to talk about that. It's none of your business." 

"I wonder. . . did you leave them because of the constant abuse, or because of their reason behind the abuse?"

Once again, Naruto paused. He didn't know how this guy knew all this. "What do you mean?"

"Do you hate the people who hate you because of their actions toward you?"

Naruto growled. "What the hell kind of question is that?! Of course!"

"Why?" Orochimaru persisted.

"Because-. . ." Naruto looked down grimly. "Because it isn't my fault."

"That's good." Orochimaru smiled, causing Naruto to look up. "If you hated them simply for the way they treated you, you would be far too simple minded. You would have given up on them years ago. No, you hate them because of their own hate. Something they direct at you for a reason outside your control."

Naruto looked away while the snake's smile widened. "What's it matter?"

"They're happy that you're gone." Orochimaru said, withdrawing his smile with a serious tone. Naruto flinched at that. "You're in the worst situation of your life yet, and they're happy for it. Your growing hatred is giving them happiness. To me, that isn't right."

Naruto glares at Orochimaru. "Why do you care?"

He smiled. "Because unlike those simple minded fools, I don't fear the Nine Tails."

"how. . . how do you know?"

The man chuckled. "I was once a member of the village, once upon a time. I know them. I know you. I know nearly everything. The one thing I want is more knowledge." He looked Naruto in the eye. "I'm curious about your potential. I want to help you with your hatred, and to see the heights of power you can reach."

Naruto took this all in, still wondering what this man meant. Time passed as Naruto contemplated an answer. "I want to speak with him." Orochimaru didn't expect that answer.

"Who do you mean?"

Naruto looked determined. "I want to speak with the reason I'm hated." Orochimaru nodded as he got up. He released the restraints on Naruto.

"I can tamper with the seal, but I'll only do it enough for you to meet with it. Once I do so, I'll leave you in private and be back in two hours to hear your final answer." Orochimaru lifts Naruto's shirt, finding the seal as he performs a few handsigns.

He finishes the final seal as a sudden force hits Naruto's body. His vision turns black.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hehe. . . So someone finally sees things my way."

Naruto's eyes open, laying on his back while seeing a brick and piped ceiling. He turns his head one way, seeing a long hallway that leads into darkness.

"That's where to go to leave this place." The deep voice rumbled through the entire area. Naruto, expecting the worst, slowly turns his the other way, seeing a giant cage wall with a seal mark on the center. "Come closer. . ."

Naruto, still laying in the wet floor, slowly gets up. He walks towards the cage, when suddenly giant claws try getting through the bars to him, barely missing. Naruto, however barely flinches.

"Hm? You don't fear me human?" Naruto continues to walk towards the cage.

"If I walk in, will you kill me?" He says emotionless.

"It depends on your worth to me, brat." the voice says in the darkness behind the bars.

"Please do it?" Naruto says, slight hope in his words. The fox is taken aback. "I assume you heard most of what happened outside. The man out there is right. I hate my village. I have nothing to live for. He wants to help me train, but honestly at this point. . . I'd rather die."

The fox seems to ponder this. "Hmmm. I could try to kill you in here, but I don't know if that would do anything outsi-" Naruto causes the fox to pause by walking directly into the cage. He walks in until he sees the outline.

"Go on." Naruto said. "Kill me and do whatever. Attack the village again, I don't care."

The fox once more stops to think. "Hmmm. . . Before I decide on that. . . Let me tell you a story." Naruto looked up to pay attention.

"Just kill me you stupid fox!" He said with some anger.

The fox just looked down at him. "If there is anything I hate most about humankind. . . it is fear." Naruto's head tilts confused. "From the dawn of time, they have feared what they didn't understand. With fear comes anger. With anger comes hate. With hate comes suffering."

Naruto still didn't understand what he was getting at, but kept listening as the fox continued. "Man feared us, the nine tailed beasts. They feared our power and our potential. Rather than follow the plan of the original sage of six paths, they sought one thing. . . control. Each beast, slowly, was captured, one by one. Being overwhelmed by armies of men, or monstrously powerful people such as Madara Uchiha or Hashirama Senju."

Naruto blinked, slightly recognizing the first Hokage's name, but not the other. The last name made Sasuke's image appear in his head.

"Madara was the first to control me. He used his cursed power to control my mind for his own purposes. Since it was so easy for him to control me, that made people fear me even more. I could be a weapon for any brat with a Sharingan."

Naruto once more didn't know what he meant. The Sharingan?

"And so Hashirama sealed me away. I have been stuck inside a member of your damned village for decades upon decades. Trapped in here, feared and hated by all, because of something outside of my control. I never did anything to them intentionally, but they still felt the need to deny me any hope of freedom."

Naruto interrupted. "But the attack on the village-"

"Was me under the control of a damned Uchiha!" He then released a powerful piercing roar that pushed Naruto back. "When I'm free, I'll find the Masked one eyed freak!" His anger steams away as he looks back to Naruto. "That is what I hate of man. That fear that even carries over to our hosts."

Naruto looks up, surprised by that admission.

"The only humans that can ever hope to understand a tailed beasts hatred is the very hosts they live inside. You in particular have been harassed your whole life because of it. You understand the hatred I have. As such. . ."

The fox locked eyes with Naruto. "I offer you the chance at revenge."

(TWO HOURS LATER)

The door opens, letting both Orochimaru and Kabuto into the darkened room. They look to the boy sitting against the wall who looks up at them with burning red fox eyes. Kabuto hesitates a moment, being surprised, but Orochimaru continues forward.

"Four conditions." Naruto states. Before anyone asks. "Four conditions for me to work with you."

Orochimaru smirks. "Go ahead.

"Number 1. You're not my master. You help me to get stronger, but as you said, it's for you too. You don't own me."

Orochimaru found that one cute, but nevertheless. "Agreed."

"Number 2. No tampering what so ever with the Nine Tails seal. Anything happens at all, I'll release it. It's first target will be you, because it doesn't trust you anymore than I do."

Smart. Orochimaru had to give him that. "Agreed."

"Number 3. You make me as strong as you possibly can." He chakra flares a bit. "So I can crush that entire god damned village."

Orochimaru smiled wickedly. "I was going to attack it in the future anyway, so helping you to do it would make things a lot easier for both of us. Agreed."

"Finally, Number 4. As soon as the village is gone, I'm gone. We part ways, and I continue for my next goal."

Orochimaru pauses for a while, but still. "Agreed." He smiled as he held his hand out. "Welcome to my world, Naruto."

(ELSEWHERE)

"Please!" She pleaded.

"Why?" an unamused voice replied.

Hinata fidgeted with her fingers. "Well, I already asked Kurenai sensei, but she never dealt with Naruto. It took forever to get Shikamaru to talk to Asuma, but he wouldn't give anything away either. Your sensei is the only one left to ask."

Sasuke didn't hardly reply for a moment. "How about that weird green suited guy that keeps bothering Kakashi?"

Hinata seemed to shrink into her jacket. "My cousin is on his team, and he would never help. Plus, that sensei and his prize student creep me out a little. . ." **(Note: Lee and Guy are two of my favorite characters, so I'm not character bashing :p)**

Sasuke rubbed his temple. "I'll ask him."

"Ask me what?" Both Sasuke and Hinata jolt as they turn to find Kakashi. "Hinata, is it? I've been told by my colleagues you wished to speak with me?"

"Saves me the trouble." Sasuke mumbled as he sat down on the ground. They were in the training ground from his genin test.

Kakashi chuckled. "What did you wish to ask me?"

Hinata fiddled with herself. "Um- I. . . well-"

Sasuke needed to help the poor girl. "Why does the village hate Naruto?"

That question threw Kakashi off, but he recovered. "Well, I would assume it's because he pranks everyone and causes such a commotion."

"It was before that." Sasuke states, pausing both Kakashi and Hinata. "He's been hated since before the academy. It's not exactly something we haven't noticed."

Hinata nodded. "I-I went to visit Mizuki. . ." Kakashi's eye narrowed at that. "He didn't say what, but he stated that our generation doesn't know something. I think that something is what made Naruto leave."

Sasuke finishes. "If you find out why Naruto left, that might help find out where he may have gone or at least help us out with our questions."

Kakashi let out a heavy sigh. "I hate being put in a spot." He looked at the two in front of him. "I'm not able to help you out."

"You must know something." Hinata pleaded.

Kakashi held his hands up defensively. "I can't help you out because I'm not allowed to. It isn't my place to tell, and while you are on to something, know that the ANBU are already on that. We already have it covered." He smiled behind his mask. "We'll find him. You don't have to worry."

"Who can we go to to find out this 'something'?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi sighed again. He just looked between them. Sasuke who seemed angry at information being kept from him. Hinata looking like a sad kitten with concern in her expression. He caved. "The only way you can find out is with the permission of either Naruto himself or the Hokage." Time for his go to move. He poofed away. Peace out.

The to left were thinking about that. Hinata turned to walk away. "T-thank you for the help, Sasuke. I'll let you know anything I find out." She rushed off, leaving him as he nodded and left.


	5. Chapter 5

Months have passed. Hinata has tried repeatedly to get to see the Hokage, who had sent out a mission to the Land of Waves, which resulted in the famous Gato's death. The ninja that had caused the death of an entire team of Chunin was no longer under Gato's employ, so he was still out there.

Hinata had gotten help from Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, even Shino, and Kiba. Ino and Sakura were a little concerned, but as time went on, they were the voices or reason, saying it wouldn't work out. Sai, being unfamiliar to most of them, was more or less uninvolved, but he offered his own help here and there.

More months passed, until each member of the age group was now 14. They were now entering the Chunin exams for the second time. Last time, Shikamaru was the only one to pass. Since they had already passed the tests last time, Choji and Ino would only participate in the first and third exams.

Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, and Shino all naturally progressed into their families techniques. Sakura had recently begun training sessions with the infamous Tsunade or the legendary Sennin. However, that was only whenever the slug queen would come by the village, which was a rare occurrence. Sai progressed as he naturally would. Sasuke progressed in Lightning and Fire jutsu as well as unlocking his Sharingan. Hinata had also progressed greatly in training, learning techniques by herself and training hard so that one day, she could find Naruto.

**(Note: This is one year after the end of part one/a year and a half before Shippuden. I chose this period for several reasons and everyone's clothes are pretty much half way versions of what they have in Shippuden. Sasuke, still in the village, is wearing his road to ninja outfit with a grayish blue headband) **

"ALRIGHT, TAKE TWO!" Kiba yelled. "This time we're definitely passing. It'll be SO easy!"

"You say that like the others aren't still a threat." Shino says.

"What? We've gotten so much stronger, it should be a cake walk."

Shino turns to the dog boy. "You forget that the second exam is a perfect opportunity for us to be knocked out of the exams, regardless of us being chunin level or not. Other teams could group against us, or we could end up facing another team of our age group, leading to a fight we have equal chance of losing."

Kiba looks away, scowling. "Negative Nancy. . . Hinata, you gotta be pumped, right?" He looked to find her already zoned out. "Great."

She looked through the first exam room. Since they all had to move to separate spots away from each other, she decided to move over to Sakura. Since they already know the trick of the exam, she just needs to use her Byakugon on whatever Sakura writes. "Hello, Sakura."

Sakura smiles at her. "Hey, ready to knock this stuff out!" Hinata nods as she looks across the room, finding Sai at one end, reading a book. . . a familiar orange book. "Um. I-is Sai reading-"

Sakura holds up a hand to stop Hinata from talking. "Kakashi recently got the new book from the pervert writer. He gave the old one to Sai along with half the books we planned to give him to help him be more human." Hinata nodded hesitantly as she found Sasuke, staring out the window.

"Hey!" Ino's voice jumped in as she hung her arms around both Sakura and Hinata. "How ya guys doing? Looks like I'm seated with you."

Sakura smirks. With a whisper, "So you can check my mind for the answers like last year."

Ino backs away. "Why I'm offended! To accuse me of cheating!" She said as all three laughed at the irony of her words. Hinata looked around to find Choji, eating chips as always.

He then looked to find Neji, who was sitting near the front. Neji had crushed her last time, but through persistence, and heavy apologies to him from her dad, he relented on his hatred of her. Though only a little. He was still hostile, but more out of habit than actually meaning it. She smiled at him while he pretended to look the other way. She found Lee near the back and Tenten directly in the middle of the room.

"Have THEY shown up yet?" Ino whispered.

"I see them. . ." Hinata said. They all looked towards the back as three specific individuals walked in. One dirty blonde with a fan on her back. A black gimp suited puppeteer. Finally, the unstable red haired guy who mopped the floor with everyone in the third round last year. In fact, the first round was him vs Sasuke. They had fought it out until Sasuke forced out the man's demon side. The demon side began to attempt attacking the audience, resulting in his disqualification. He was denied Chunin because he didn't have enough control over his beast. Let's hope that's gotten better, shall we?

They still had plenty of time for the exams to start, so the Konoha 12 gathered in the center of the room, chatting about.

"So, Choji, did Shikamaru give you guys special advice to get through this?" Kiba asked.

Choji munched a chip. "You kidding? He's still asleep today." Everyone sweat dropped on that info.

"Someone needs to make him act more like a Chunin." Tenten said annoyed.

"You're just jealous." A voice added as they turned to see Temari. "Although I can't wait to become a chunin, then I'll challenge that bastard for humiliating me last year."

"That was funny, actually." Hinata said softly. This earned Temari's glare and an 'eep'.

"HAHA It actually was VERY funny." Kankuro came in. "So, how's it going?"

The door opened again as the last team entered the room. Most of them ignored it, but Hinata looked to see the group. A tall young man with silver white hair and glasses walked towards them, wearing a leaf headband. "Well, well, if it isn't you all again." He smiled. The plan to replace the Kazekage and fool the Sand into attacking the leaf didn't happen last year. That plan was discarded for various reasons. He had still come last year as they did still manage to place the curse mark on Sasuke. . . He was there merely to check on the power levels for the genin.

"So, how is everyone?"

"Kabuto!" Sakura said happily, seeing as how he saved their group in the latter part of the exams. (Same as canon except Sai, not Naruto) "We've been good. Hopefully, you'll get past the second exam."

He scratched the back of his head nervously. "Low blow! After everything that happened with my team last year, though, I got placed with a new one, and it's pretty promising." He held up a deck. "If you wanna pay, you can see their. . . ninja info cards."

"Would you shut up about those for once?" A woman behind him said. She had long hair and bangs framing her face. She wore a grayish green robe and was about as tall as him.

Kiba went right in. "Well, hello. I'm always interested in extra info on a cute lady."

The girl looked to Kabuto, who seemed to be holding in laughter. "Do you want me to show him the card or let you tell him?"

The girl turned to Kiba with a dead pan face. "I'm a boy. . ."

Everyone either fell to the floor laughing or let their jaws hit the floor because this guy was HOTT!(Supposedly)

"My name is Haku." He said as he laughed at Kiba's misfortune. **(EXPLAINED CHAPTER 7)**

Sai pointed behind them both. "And who is he?"

Kabuto and Haku parted to show the boy behind them. He matched Sasuke's height. Black spiky hair. Onyx eyes. NO whisker marks. (Cause you know who this is.) He wore a sleeveless orange button up shirt and a pitch black undershirt with sleeves ending exactly at the elbows. The back of the orange shirt had the Konoha signature red swirl. He wore orange pants that ended just before his ankles. Black sandals. Shuriken holster wrapped to his right leg. Finally, a necklace with a red crystal hanging in the center.

The new guy simply walked through the group, sitting directly in front of Hinata, Sakura, and Ino's assigned spots.

"GEEZE! What's his problem?" Tenten exclaimed.

Kabuto waved his hands defensively. "Don't worry about him. He's cranky today." Kabuto then left the group to join the boy. "You might wanna at least try to hide your attitude?" He said it as a joke, knowing Naruto can't do that well.

Naruto looked up at Kabuto, raising an eyebrow. "What? They should be used to cold callous bastards." He actually gave his signature toothy fox smile at the insult towards them, even if they didn't hear it. He gets up, walking back with Kabuto. He looked between them all, finding negative opinions about all of them, until he looks at Hinata, who's been staring at him the whole time. He mainly directs it to her, but introduces himself. "Menma Namikaze." He turns away. "Now, leave me alone." He walks right back to his seat.


	6. Chapter 6

"Alright! Alright! Get in your seats! We're starting this bitch!" Everyone in the room looked back to find the worst nightmare of an instructor ever, Anko Mitarashi! Every got into their seats as she walked to the front of the room. "Welcome to the first part of the Chunin Ex-. . . ugh screw it. You know what you're here for! There are nine questions on the front side of the overturned papers at each of your desks. You have fifty minutes to complete these questions."

Naruto chuckled darkly as he mumbled. "Nine. My lucky number."

Behind him, Hinata and Sakura heard him. Ino being one more row behind them, didn't hear. They were confused and shared a look.

Anko continued. "At ten til, we will announce the tenth question. Also, to the sides of this room, you will see out eagle eyed sentinels. They will look for any signs of cheating. Furthermore, if you're caught cheating three times, you and your team instantly fail!" A great amount of uproar came from that until a well placed kunai from Anko landed between the fingers on a hand previously planted on a desk. She smiled. "No interrupting. Finally. . . . . GOOD LUCK MAGGOTS!"

Immediately, a hand raised. She raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

It was Naruto. "Can I use the bathroom?" He said nonchalantly. Almost no emotion.

Anko scowled a bit. "Sentinel 11, go with him." They get up and leave the room.

Not two minutes later, he's back in his seat and leaning back, staring at the ceiling. Everyone thought he was just throwing the test. Sakura couldn't believe it. Hinata used her Byakugon to examine his test. Comepletely blank!

But they couldn't afford to pay attention to that. Hinata and Neji of course used their Byakugons. Gaara used his eye of sand. Kankuro pulled the same maneuver as last time and got the answers to Temari securely. Tenten used hidden wires to move the ceiling glass enough for Lee to see another genin's test. Sasuke used Sharingan to copy pencil movements. Kiba had Akamaru scout, just as Shino used his bugs. Ino took the answers, with permission this time, from Sakura, then got them to Choji. Haku created mini ice mirrors in hidden spots so he could watch other tests. Kabuto and Sakura were both just fine themselves.

The only thing was Menma, erm, Naruto. He had fallen asleep leaning back in his chair, still writing nothing on his sheet. Forty five minutes passed, and Naruto's hand went up again.

"Yes?" Anko said again.

"Same as before he said."

"How could you possibly have to go again?" She asked incredulously.

He smiled mockingly. "I drank a lot earlier."

She scowled again. "Sentinel 14 this time."

Naruto leaves, then Naruto comes in right before the tenth question is to be called. "ALRIGHT MAGGOTS! We will go ahead and take all your test papers." Everyone was confused, since they thought they would have to write down the tenth answer.

Anko personally went through the answers then and there, laughing at a few that were most likely very very wrong. She then got the 'Menma'. She picked up the paper and put it in the bag without looking.

"You're not going to review it?" Naruto asked.

"It's blank, you haven't written a damn thing." Anko shot back.

Naruto smirked. "Check."

Anko pulled it out, jaw hitting the floor. "Y-. . . All of these are correct!" Everyone was stunned by it. Anko didn't even understand it, but she smiled wide. "Nice! You got me. I don't know how, but you did." She moved to collect the rest.

She ends up at the front of the room. "Alright. Here's the deal. The tenth question is very very simple."

Everyone leans in to hear.

"Your team is on a mission behind enemy lines. You come to be discovered by the enemy. They outnumber you three to one, and have one of your comrades hostage. You have a slight amount of intel already, and can take that back to the village to complete your mission bare bones, or you can face the situation. Seek to rescue your comrade and finish the mission fully." She points to one side of the room. "If you go back to your village, barebones. Go to that side." She points to the other side. "If you take the risk, go there."

Everyone was confused at first, but nonetheless, did so. Not surprising her, everyone who went one last year was on the correct side. She pointed to the side that chose to go back, roughly a third of the group. "All of you: FAIL!"

"WHAT?! WHY?"  
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"  
"HOW IS THAT FAIR?"

She looks at them. "Any team mates of yours are also disqualified even if they chose the other side."

They create an uproar, but the sentinels all escort them out. She smiles as one person raises their hand. "Yes, Menma?"

Naruto was confused. "What decided the correct choice?"

"Why did you choose your choice?" She shot back smirking.

He shrugged. "This side was closer to where I was sitting." Everyone sweat dropped except for Anko who burst out laughing.

"You see, their side has a point to it. They would technically have some useable intel, and it is a squad leader's job to minimalize risk. However. . ." She paused for a moment. "you always want to rescue an ally in danger, as well and complete a mission to its fullest degree. Doing so ensures future safety in regard to the type of mission along with keeping out assets. Also." She smiled. "As a famous jonin says, 'Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum.' That's what decided it."

Everyone seemed to work out the meanings she had as they all agreed. Anko then asked. "So how did you answer everything? Since you passed already, you can say." She winked. Naruto smirked.

"Well, when a shadow clone is created, a copy of all of the user's possessions is made with it. That's why they have clothes and such." She nodded. "Right before I went to the bathroom first, I made a shadow clone who, when appeared, took the form of a Shuriken in my holster, that also created a second test paper for me, which is the one that was on the desk the whole time."

Anko blinked questioningly as Naruto continued. "I went to the bathroom and switched with my shadow clone. The clone came in here and relaxed with the fake test while I was still gone!" He grinned. "Then I went to the library with the real test in hand and looked up all the answers!"

Everyone fell over. Anko face palmed. "So when you asked to go to the bathroom a second time. . ."

"Switched back!" He said triumphantly. "I came back in, switched the blank fake with the real, then dispelled the clone, which got rid of the fake paper." He smiled.

Anko was laughing her ass off. "Well, damn clever!"

Everyone else was looking a little shocked at how he got the answers while looking like he wasn't even taking the test. Hinata was extremely impressed.

"T-that's amazing. No one expected it."

Sakura chuckled. "Well, it IS the original reason for the technique existing."

Anko finishes her laughs. "OKAY! Time for the second exam. YOU CAN COME IN NOW!" She calls as the door opens. Everyone looks back as the door opens.

A sickly man steps in, simply motioning towards everyone. "Yes. Will everyone **COUGH COUGH** follow me, please."


	7. Chapter 7

"Alright. We've arrived at the test grounds." Hayate stops.

Sasuke looks up at the large forest. "The Forest of Death, huh?"

Sakura slumped down. "Again!"

Sai, who was still looking at his Make Out Paradise book, commented, "Not a lot of fond memories here."

"No kidding." Kiba said, getting flashbacks of Gaara sand coffining that one rain ninja. Akamaru barked in confirmation of that.

"At least we already know the terrain." Shino commented. "As little as that helps in an area this size."

Ino and Choji had already gone. Being lucky, they would meet up at the location in the center on the forest.

Hayate gave the test instructions, albeit with many coughing pauses, as everyone was assigned a gate to start at. There was a pause of time that let everyone chill and talk for a while. Hinata, unsurprisingly, had her eyes on someone.

"Making friends?" Hinata jumped as she turned to find Tenten. Tenten walks around Hinata to look from Hinata's angle. "Hmmm, grumpy, aye? I didn't know you liked bad boys." She finished with a wink.

Hinata blushed. "I-i-i-t's not that."

Tenten leaned in. "Oh? So what is it then?"

Hinata looked away. "H-he. . . reminds me of Naruto a bit."

Tenten scowled. "This again." She lets out a heavy sigh. "You need to let this go. We tried. He's long gone. I'm sure he's alive and happy somewhere." She smiled. "It's okay, now. . ." She turned around, yelling. "MENMA!"

Hinata jolted up with a blush at the same time Naruto did. Naruto turned to Hinata's direction, seeing Hinata alone and a space that was previously occupied by someone.

TENTEN YOU BITCH! Hinata said in her head. Naruto seemed unemotional and walked right over.

Oh god. He's coming over here! Um, say hi? How? Then what? Oh, what would Naruto do?! "H-h-h-h-h-hel-lo." She barely got out. GOOD START!

He seemed curious. "Did your voice give out after shouting, or did someone ditch you?"

She couldn't tell if he was insulting her, Tenten, or both. "I, uh. . ."

"Sorry." He turned calmly and walked back to his team.

"Um. . ." She didn't quite understand him.

As Naruto walked, he was blocked off by Sasuke. "Yes?"

Sasuke glared at him. "With the way you talk, you've been a genin a while. In fact, your age shows your should have graduated the academy with us. How come I've never seen you?"

Naruto chuckled. "You would know me if you saw me, but you don't seem like a social person, Uchiha."

"You have a problem with my clan?" Sasuke glared harder.

Naruto smirked. "If there were enough of you to hate, sure!" Naruto tried to walk around Sasuke, but his arm is grabbed as he's halted.

Naruto turns to see a full power Sharingan, three tomo, not two. "When I get a chance, you'll be buried in the ground. For disrespecting me, and those around me." He lets go and walks back to Sakura and Sai.

Naruto huffs and walks back to Kabuto and Haku. Haku strikes up the conversation. "Problems?"

"Old rivalry, though he doesn't know it."

"Maybe you should try being friendlier?"

Naruto looks at him. "Look, you were hired by the snake to fill in the last spot on this team. Your mummy mentor is playing the part of our sensei. That's it. Playing parts. As soon as this is done, we part ways. Got it?"

Haku smiles back. "We'll see about that."

They move to their gate. "So what's the plan, here?"

Kabuto adjusts his glasses. "You and Haku will find an enemy team and wipe them out. I'll keep an eye on dear Sasuke."

Naruto thinks a moment. "Where are those three other guys? Dosu, Kin, and Zaku?"

Kabuto chuckles. "Somewhere. They've been told to run interference. Find out team locations and keep interesting parties away from each other, take out weaklings. That sort of thing."

"So they keep everyone important away from each other?" Haku interjects. "So we all end up in the finals? Why?"

Kabuto smiled. "Cause then it's much more fun!"

…

…

…

…

…

The exams proceed exactly as planned. Everyone important makes it to the finals. Team Dosu, Team 7, Team 8, Ino and Choji arrive, the Sand siblings, Team Kabuto, and Team Guy.

Once more, this results in a preliminary round, which Kabuto resigns from. Sakura tries to reason with him, but he leaves regardless.

Same rules as before, everyone goes up to join their mentors to wait for the first match calls. Naruto and Haku walk up to join their mentor, Zabuza in disguise.

"Well, brat. I don't suppose you had much in the way of trouble." He greeted Naruto.

"First team we fought didn't last a minute." He said disappointed.

"Have you had to wait long for us?" Haku asked his master.

"Not too long, though it has been annoying with some of these jonin asking about my personal life." He mainly looked over to a certain cycloptic jonin with white hair. The two railing sides were occupied by teams in this order.

Side A: Team Asuma(Shikamaru is here), Sand Siblings, Team Dosu.

Side B: Team Guy, Kakashi, Kurenai, Zabuza,

Naruto looked over, finding Hinata staring until she jumps and stares ahead. He tilts his head while he keeps looking at her until she glances back, jumping again and looking forward. He finally looks across the room at the opposite railing, locking gazes with Zaku. Zaku glares at him, since Naruto won their fight even before Naruto met Orochimaru. Naruto gives a cocky smirk as he looks over to find Shikamaru and Choji. Choji just finished explaining the events of the first exam as Shikamaru eyed 'Menma' for a while.

Finally the computer appeared.

The third exam proctor appeared, the sunglasses, spiky haired Aoba. "Let the preliminaries of this exam begin." Everyone looks to the computer as it randomizes the names. The names stop as the first match is decided.

Aoba announces. "First match: Sasuke Uchiha vs Zaku Abumi!"

Naruto groans. "Well, this is a wash."

Haku looks curious. "What do you mean?"

He just points at Zaku, then does a thumbs down. The two combatants land in the fighting area.

"GO SASUKE!" Sakura

"KICK HIS ASS!" Ino

Aoba raises his hand for a moment, then lets it fall. "Begin!"


	8. Chapter 8

"Begin."

Zaku immediate fires off a round of blasts at Sasuke, who, with hands in pockets, disappears, then reappears in different spots dodging. Zaku strafes his slicing sound wave across the ground, forcing Sasuke into the air.

"Got you!" He fires at the Uchiha, who's yet to activate his Sharingan.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke launches a fireball into the concussive wave, clashing in the air and canceling out.

Zaku then chucks both hands into the ground, sending a tremor directly for Sasuke's landing area. Sasuke once again uses fireball, but instead to propel him to the side of Zaku's attack.

Zaku continues his offense, attacking again, but Sasuke once again disappears right after throwing several kunai.

Zaku laughs as he sees the kunai fly hilariously off course. "Missed? Really?"

"No." He heard from above. Sasuke, mid air, throws a second set of Kunai into the first set, directing the first set into Zaku from all directions, making dodging impossible. Zaku blasts two of the kunai, but two others stick into his back and arm.

Sasuke lands perfectly, hands in pocket, while Zaku falls to a knee.

"You should give up." Sasuke says once.

"SCREW YOU!" Zaku raises the uninjured arm. "I'll go supersonic on you!"

Suddenly, his attacking arm is held to the side by Sasuke's offhand, directing the blast into the wall. Chirping sounds are heard as Zaku looks down. Sasuke's hand hovers harmlessly just a few inches from Zaku's chest with lightning radiating from the hand.

Sasuke smirks. "Chidori: Thousand Chirping Birds."

He ends the technique, letting go of the shivering Zaku.

Aoba steps forward. "I'm calling this match. Winner: Sasuke Uchiha."

Naruto looks over to Haku. "Called it."

Haku smirked. "I'll give that one to you."

Sasuke rejoins his team as Zaku is taken to the infirmary. Sasuke spares a glare at Naruto, who smirks back at the challenge.

"Let the second round begin." Aoba announces as the names finish. "Match 2: Shino Aburame vs Gaara of the Sand."

The room falls to silence. Everyone was wondering who Gaara was going to fight. They didn't want it to be a Leaf member. Shino, however, leaped right into the center of the room.

"Shino, you nuts?!" Kiba yelled. "He'll kill you!"

Shino doesn't respond as Gaara lands down with him. Hinata closes her eyes, clapping her hands together almost to pray.

Aoba stands between them. "Begin!"

Shino jumps away from Gaara, getting distance as the two square off. Everyone seems to hold their breath waiting for a move to be made between them. Shino, however, breaks the silence.

"You know, I'm waiting for your move. I know you pride yourself on defense, but you'll have to attack some time."

Half the leaf members' jaws drop. Shino just taunted Gaara! The Sand ninja looks unaffected as sand pours from the gourd on his back. The sand lashes out at Shino, plowing him into the ground before Shino's body turns into a mass of bugs.

"Bug clone." Kiba comments. "Good. Don't get caught."

Shino lands on the opposite side of Gaara, sending a mass of insects at Gaara, but Gaara's sand blocks and overtakes the wave. The sand pushes through towards Shino, attacking him as he dodges back and forth, sending bugs out, only for them to be sucked up into the sand.

"That's not going to work." Kankura chimes across the room. "That punk beat me last year but he's insane to think he can take Gaara!"

Shino lands in front of Gaara as he releases the last mass of insects out at Gaara, but alas, it is swept away. Shino pauses as the sand accumulates around Gaara, who still looks unimpressed.

Sasuke comments. "I see."

Everyone looks at him a moment until Neji comments too. "Brilliant strategy."

Again, everyone is confused. Shikamaru nods. "He's gonna have one shot."

Naruto didn't see what they were talking about, but he was eager to know. Shino stood off against Gaara for several moments before doing what would be the most stupid thing in the world. He straight charged Gaara full speed!

Gaara stands motionless until his face goes to one of horror. His sand, instead of defending him, slowly drops to the ground, intermixed with Shino's insects as Shino plows through, right hooking Gaara in the jaw. This launches Gaara away as Shino throws several shuriken. Gaara rolls around, letting the shuriken his the gourd. He stands back up, trying to move the sand, but fails as Shino moves in.

Hinata explains. "S-Shino's insects consume chakra. He. . ."

Kurenai spoke proudly. "He used his insects to suck up the chakra in Gaara's sand so Gaara couldn't use it!"

Shino hits with two more punches as Gaara tries to punch back. Shino catches the fist, pulling Gaara in to kick him in the gut. Gaara skids back, glaring at Shino like a mad man.

"It's over. Your sand is useless!" Shino announces.

"Then I'll kill you with new sand." Gaara says with his voice filled with rage. The ground of the room starts to erode into sand as Shino's legs are engulfed suddenly. "Now, DIE!"

The sand is blasted outward as Aoba appears near the Hokage, holding the shakily breathing Shino. Aoba declares the match. "The winner is Gaara."

Gaara glares for a minute before returning the floor of the room to normal and retrieving his sand. He walks back up, not once taking his glance off Shino. Shino rejoins his team. "I'm sorry. I thought I had a chance. . ."

Kiba, sweating a little, chuckles. "Just keep an eye out for yourself." They stop when they hear Naruto laughing. "What's so funny? He almost died."

Naruto stops. "Not that. It's just that you basically used him as a punching bag before the proctors stopped him from getting back at you. Seems nostalgic."

None of them understood what he meant, but chose to ignore him, save for Hinata who continued to stare at him. Naruto decided he should go use the bathroom. He pats Haku's shoulder, getting his attention. "Hey, get me if the thing calls me."

He left the room as Hinata decides to follow. Out in the halls, Naruto notices his spy and stops. "Come out."

Hinata comes out, timidly, waiting to be verbally abused since Naruto had a habit of doing that. "I-I'm sorry."

He looked at her, slightly confused. "Why are you paying so much attention to me?"

She blushed at the fact that he knew about it. "Well, I-um. . .I don't really know. I-I suppose you remind me of someone."

Naruto lets out a heavy sigh as they stand in silence. "What's him name?"

Hinata's face reddens to a tomato color. "H-his name is. . . Naruto. . . Uzumaki."

(Twenty minutes later)

"Hinata! Where have you been?" Kurenai questioned as she returned. Naruto had just reentered as well.

He went up to Haku. "What did we miss?"

"Three matches." Haku answered.

Naruto jolted upright. "THREE?! How?"

Haku seemed to be in thought. "Well the Kiba guy fought Kankuro and managed to blitz through the puppets to a win, but got poisoned in the process. He's in the infirmary. Since the fight would, in the real world, result in both of their deaths, the proctor called it a draw. Both were eliminated."

Hinata was shocked that she missed Kiba's match. She turned to Kurenai. "The others?"

Kurenai answered curtly. "Temari of the Sand defeated Kin of the sound quickly, and Ino gave up before her match with Sai started."

They all looked at Ino, who was swooning. "He called me beautiful. . ." She said with a dream smile. Sai on the other hand, was reading Make Out Paradise.

Sakura walked over to Hinata for a private conversation. "What were you doing with Menma?"

Hinata blushed. "Well. . . I told him he reminded me of Naruto. . ."

Sakura started to shake her head. "Oh god. And?"

Hinata looked down. "I think I upset him. He got all quiet and wouldn't give an answer to anything. He's actually a little polite, but. . ."

Sakura shakes her head. "The guy's not right in the head."

The computer rang again as everyone looked. "Neji Hyuga vs Dosu Kinuta!" Hinata rushed to the guard rail as Neji and Dosu meet at the center.

Haku looks at Naruto. "Any bets?"

Naruto snaps from his thoughts. "Huh? You say something?"

"Thoughts on this match?"

Naruto looked at the two. "Oh. I don't know. Dosu's tough.

As the match started, Dosu began using his sound abilities, but they're extreme close range, as Neji kept him back using gentle fist. Dosu finally resorts to an all or nothing attack to get to Neji, but the Hyuga uses the close proximity to initiate the Eight Trigrams 64 Palms, winning the match.

Naruto barely paid attention the whole time. He seemed to be working over things in his mind. He didn't think anyone but Iruka had thought anything of him. Now, Hinata there is the only one missing him!

He looked up at the computer once the next match was called. Now, he was anxious. "Hinata Hyuga vs Tenten."


	9. Chapter 9

"Hinata Hyuga vs Tenten."

Naruto glanced over to Hinata, who seemed nervous on her way towards the stair down to the floor. As she passed Naruto, he chuckled. When she looked at him, he smirked. "Kick some ass."

She barely noticed the comment, but it calmed her nerves a bit as she headed down to meet Tenten in the middle. They nodded to each other in respect and took fighting stances.

"Begin." Aoba calls.

The two didn't seem to move from their starting spots. Naruto looked back and forth between them before a thought occurred. Hinata and Neji were related, so Tenten has an unfair knowledge of what kind of moves Hinata has. . .

Then he looks to see Tenten slowly backing away. . . it seems that knowledge is what's keeping her away. This could be Hinata's advantage instead. Hinata seemed holding back due to her lack of confidence. This bothered Naruto a bit.

Finally, Tenten jumps away while throwing three kunai directly at Hinata, who quickly dodges each one by a hair, but avoids harm. Tenten sends three shuriken before jumping over and sending another six kunai down.

Seeing everything coming at her, Hinata jumps backwards, dodging the six kunai as the three shuriken follow her. Tenten lands on the other side of Hinata, summoning two tonfa as she moved to strike from behind.

Hinata suddenly spins in place on one foot, something that startles Neji as Naruto heard a grunt from him. She spins enough to narrowly avoid the shuriken, letting them continue towards Tenten, who parries them away with one of her tonfa. Hinata jumps to her and palm's at Tenten, who blocks with the other tonfa which breaks from the strike.

It sends Tenten back as she uses her now free hand to pull another kunai out with an explosive tag tied on. She throws it into the ground next to Hinata, who jumps away. It explodes knocking the two apart.

"Come on, Hinata. . ." Kurenai whispers.

"She has a chance." Shino says in confidence.

"Then say it out loud." Naruto says annoyed. They look over to the black haired kid who overheard their silent prayers. "Maybe she would have more confidence if you would simply say it."

"Tenten!" Neji calls out. "Finish her off. She doesn't know the Rotation! Your final attack will finish her!" When he yells that, Tenten's eyes seem to widen in realization. That's when Kurenai and Shino both gasp.

"Told you, dumb asses." Naruto says, earning glares as he looked down to Hinata who seemed to be backing away. "HEY HINATA!" He yells out, still leaning over the railing as if he was bored. She looks to him, surprised to hear him. "IF GROUCHY MCGIRL HAIR IS HIGHER ON THE CHAIN THAN THAT TOMBOY, SO ARE YOU! END HER!"

She stands in shock from what he says until Tenten jumps high into the air above everyone. She unravels two long scrolls around her as weapons begin to summon out of them. "Twin Rising Dragons!"

Hinata quickly straight in a pose as the first hail of weapons are thrown at her. Her hand flies out, open palmed as the chakra in hand parried the weapons aside. Tenten continues to launch her entire volley of weapons in waves. Kunai, shuriken, thrown scythes, spears, flails, anything with sharp surfaces that can be thrown. Hinata, however stands still, parrying all of it. This continues until Tenten is completely out of weapons.

"GAH! I'LL GET YOU!" Tenten yells as she pulls on all the weapons with wire connected to her fingers. She swings around, bringing the entire torrent of weapons at Hinata. The Hyuga stands her ground as she moves into a rapid flurry of nonstop parries using chakra palm blades, hitting each weapon aside.

Neji stands shocked. "W-. . . what is that?"

Naruto replies cockily. "Confidence."

"Defense of the Eight Trigrams: 64 Palms!" She yells as she finishes defending against the wave, hving sliced all the wires on the weapons as well. She then rears back. "Open Air Palm Strike!" She sends a concussive air strike into the mid air Tenten, launching her into the wall. Tenten gets up, just as Hinata closes the distance, hitting two spots. "Two Palms!"

"What?!" Kurenai said. "When did she find the time to learn that?"

"Four Palms!" She repeatedly strikes Tenten, indenting her into the wall. "Eight Palms. Sixteen Palms. Eight Trigrams 32 Palms!" She finishes as Tenten just falls over, unable to move.

Aoba walks between them and examines Tenten. "The winner is: Hinata Hyuga."

"GO HINATA!" Sakura and Ino cheered. Guy was taken back by the result while Kurenai seemed to be having a party. At least someone on her team made it to the finals. Hinata, still shocked she won, was still standing still below.

"Uh." Aoba interrupted. "You can go back up."

"O-oh. Sorry." She quickly rushes up the stairs to her team. She stops in front of Naruto, blushing heavily then continuing.

Naruto ignores it as the computer continues to select the next match. "Can I go, please. . ."

Fate be cruel. Aoba announced the next. . . erm . . . . well we know it won't be a fight but the characters don't. "Haku Yuki vs Sakura Haruno."

"CHA! Time to shine!" Sakura cheered.

Naruto slumped over, turning to Haku. "Wash. You win."

Haku chuckles as he walks down with Sakura following. "Kick her. . .i mean HIS ass, Sakura!" Ino cheered.

"I would wish you well, but maybe the next team mate we get will be prettier, try to lose." Sai said, with a smile.

Sakura erupts in anger. "BITCH I'LL SHOVE YOUR BOOKS UP YOUR ASS AFTER I WIN THIS! CHA!" She looks to Haku in anger, determined to win.

Haku decided to strike up conversation. "You were trained by Tsunade of the Legendary Sennin?"

Sakura smirked. "Yep, for the past half year."

Haku maintained a smile similar to Sai's. "Oh, you must know tons of medical jutsu." Sakura nodded dumbly. "Too bad that won't matter in a one on one fight. Essential to a team, powerless by yourself."

Sakura's stare turned into a full glare as she pulled out two leather gloves.

"Sakura, you haven't mastered that yet." Kakashi warned, speaking calmly.

She turned back to him. "I don't care! I'm gonna crush prissy boy here!" She fitted the gloves while turning towards Haku. "I trained another ability of Tsunade's by the way." She smiled as she glared while Haku just smiled.

"Do you have someone to protect?" Haku asks as Aoba steps between them.

Sakura looks confused. "What?"

"Do you have someone to protect?" He repeats.

Sakura glances over to Sasuke, Sai, Ino, and others. She turns back. "I guess so."

Haku smiles for real. "Then you may be strong one day, but not now."

"Begin!" Aoba declares.

Sakura, in anger, pulls her fist up and crushes it into the ground, creating a decent amount of debris and supposedly blinding Haku. She charges through at Haku's figure.

"CHA! HOW'S THIS?!" She punches through, hearing something shatter as Haku's form in the dust shatters apart. "Wha-"

She's cut off by a stabbing pain, paralyzing her body. She manages to glance down where Haku was, seeing ice shards. Behind her, Haku stands, one hand on Sakura's head to steady it, one holding the senbon lodged into Sakura's neck. Haku pulls the senbon out as Sakura falls right over, not moving.

"SAKURA?!" Everyone yelled as people walked over to her.

"She's de-" Aoba gets cut off.

"No." Haku interrupts as he begins to walk away. "It induces a near death state that she can naturally recover from within a week or so, but she's tsunade's student. She'll heal herself up fast when she regains consciousness."

Everyone looks, shocked at Haku who walks right up to Naruto. Naruto was asleep, which Zabuza smacks Naruto awake. "Wake up brat."

"Ow!" he looks to Haku, then brightens up. "You won already? Usually you take your time."

Haku chuckles while everyone kept staring at the group. Kakashi took the time to inspect the three.

Choji was panicking. "Just how strong are these guys?"

Sai inspected them as well. "Kabuto must have been the weak link of the team. He was so beat up looking after the second exam, but these two were almost untouched."

Neji also glared at them. "The smartass there is the one I want to see. Let's see if he's as strong as he thinks."

The medics move Sakura away as Aoba steps into the center. "Time to announce the last ma-"

An orange and black blur lands down. Naruto immediately starts to stretch out.

"I haven't even announced it." Aoba says annoyed.

Naruto scoffed. "It's between me, tubs, and bushy brow spandex n' bowl cut over there." Everyone looks at him weird at the mention of Lee. Naruto shrugs. "Sorry, there's SO much to make fun of, I haven't decided which yet."

"I'LL GO AT YOU!" Choji screamed. "NO ONE CALLS ME TUBBY, I'M BIG BONED!" Shikamaru holds Choji back, talking sense.

"After seeing that dudes partner beat Sakura in a second flat, do you want to make those threats!" Choji calmed as Shikamaru let out a sigh of relief.

Naruto smirked at that as the computer finished. He didn't even need to look at it as a crashing landing is heard. He looks over, seeing the green clad bowl cut smiling at him as the two square off.

"We have not been formally introduced. I am Rock Lee."

Naruto turns with his own smirk. "Menma Namikaze."

Up above, everyone seemed tense with the final fight. Neji seemed clearly aggravated. "This guy helped Hinata take down Tenten. Take revenge on him, or I will."

Over with Shino. "This fight will be an interesting one, indeed."

"The kid's been talking big the whole time. I hope it's not just talk." Temari smirked.

"Um. . ." Hinata wanted to cheer for Menma for some reason, but she didn't hardly know him.

"ALL RIGHT, LEE! Show him your YOUTH!" The big green man child screamed.

Sasuke and Sai glanced at each other, but just looked over the combatants.

"This fight is a perfect comparison." Choji, Ino, and Asuma look at Shikamaru. "That Menma guy and Sasuke have been glaring at each other several times." He looked over to the Uchiha. "Sasuke's taijutsu abilities, speed, and his chidori are all derived from Lee's normal level skills." He looks back to the opponents. "This is the perfect opportunity to see where this Menma guy stands against him."

Choji sweats a bit. "Thank goodness though. Looks like I get a by."

Back with Naruto and Lee. "You are a taijutsu or a ninjutsu specialist, am I correct?" Lee asked.

Naruto smiled. "That obvious? Mainly taijutsu. Which. . ." He gave a disapproving look at Lee's outfit. "Pretty obvious you're all martial arts. So." He held up one finger. "I'll use only one type of jutsu throughout this fight."

"Handicapping yourself already? You seem confident." Lee frowns.

Naruto's smile widens. "Force me to use more if you can."

Aoba finally announces it. "Final Match: Menma Namikaze vs Rock Lee. BEGIN!"


	10. Chapter 10

"BEGIN!"

Lee jumps high into the air, coming down in a spin kick. "Leaf Hurricane!"

Naruto blocks the heavy kick, feeling the strain as his feet indent into the concrete a little. He grabs the leg with his off hand, pulling Lee in to elbow his jaw. Lee blocks with both arms as he uses his free leg to kick himself and Naruto apart, both skidding to a halt.

Naruto sends off a volley of shuriken, aimed around Lee to cut off any escape route as he charged the middle. Right as he closes the distance, Lee ducks down fast. "Leaf Whirlwind!" Naruto, seeing this, brings his full weight onto his front leg just before Lee's kick made it, blocking it without losing footing. Naruto goes for a punch, but Lee blocks and throws his own punches.

The two hold ground in a strike exchange. Naruto brings his leg up to block a kick, pushes a jab to the side, then follows with a hook. Lee parries that punch, sends a kick, brings both arms up to block another punch before following up with an axe kick.

Naruto brings both arms up, blocking the hit until Lee uses the leverage, bringing his other leg up to kick up Naruto's guard while flipping back. Upon landing the flip, he speeds in, elbowing him. Naruto, after taking the elbow hit, brings arms down on Lee's shoulders while kneeing Lee's gut, knocking the air out of Lee. While he's stunned, Naruto grabs and tosses Lee up cross the room before sending three kunai after him.

Lee used another Leaf Hurricane to spin and kick the projectiles away, but upon exiting the spinning kick, he sees Naruto already on him as Naruto hook's him in the jaw, launching Lee back. Naruto lands as Lee rolls to his feet, both wiping a trickle of blood off their lips and smirking.

Up in the crowds. . . "Damn. . . He's good." Ino commented.

"Lee's gotten faster, hasn't he?" Kakashi questioned to Guy, who smiled wide and gave a thumbs up. Guy then called out.

"Alllllright, Lee! Take off the kid gloves!"

Lee smiled, saluting his sensei. "I will make you proud!" He pulls up his leg warmers, revealing training weights underneath. Naruto, already knowing that Lee will come back faster, begins pumping chakra into his legs to increase his speed. He might not match, but he'll need it. Lee limbers up after removing the weights then stands with the weights in hand.

"Okay! Time for Round 2!" Lee called as he chucked both weights at Naruto as projectiles. Naruto nimbly dodges both as they crash into the ground, bringing up large amounts of debris from the sheer weight. The dust cloud surprises Naruto until it clears from the spinning speed of Lee's Leaf Hurricane. The kick launches Naruto across the floor until he rolls to recover. Lee, already on his, brings his fist down, but Naruto dodges back as Lee's fist crashes into the ground.

Naruto jumps back two more times, dodging ground crushing kicks from the chasing Lee. Once caught up, Lee unleashes a storm of punches and kicks, putting Naruto on a full defensive. Taking a hit every so often, Naruto does a good job of blocking nearly all the hits until he catches a punch with great effort. Naruto tries to punch back, only for Lee to catch his by the wrist. Lee pulls Naruto in and head butts him as both of their heads rear back from the hit.

Naruto looks up, one eye closed from the stinging hit. "That all you got?!" His caught hand twists to grab Lee's as Naruto pulls Lee into a second head butt, much harder than the other as they both separate.

Naruto pulls his hand sign together. "Time for the equalizer! Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Lee recovers, only to find himself surrounded by over 100 Narutos.

All the jonin were shocked. Kakashi called out. "No Genin should be able to make nearly half of those clones. Takes too much chakra!"

Sasuke replies to that claim, not taking his eyes off the fight. "You said the same about me and my fireball."

Kakashi rubs his neck. "Well, yeah, you got a point."

Naruto crosses his arms and stands comfortably in place as Lee took a defensive stance. "And. . . go!"

All of the Naruto clones charge in, mobbing the taijutsu master as he frantically fought against them. Round house kick one clone away, block a punch before getting kicking down in the back, then rolling between two clones and kicking one behind them. He jumps up dodging a Naruto as two more chase him into the air. He blocks one, kicks the other, and tosses the caught one into a grounded clone, clearing a spot to land. "Severe Leaf Whirlwind!" He sweeps around, taking out two more clones and clearing space. Upon the kick ending, three more clones rushed him, unleashing their own barrage of hits against him. He blocks most of the hits and picks them off one by one with sneak hits.

He looks quickly, finding the real Naruto still standing in the crowd, arms crossed and smirking. He jumps in that direction, spin kicking two clones away. Suddenly, a clone surprises him, nailing him in the jaw and into the grappling arms of another clone. He flips out of the grip, landing behind the clone and kicking it into the clone that punched him before he elbows another charging clone. He rushes through the crowd with lightning speed, fighting through more clones until he reached the real one.

Naruto tries to defend, shocked that Lee got through until Lee punches him. . . only for Naruto to poof. Confused Lee turned right into a direct punch. "You think I'm too much of a pussy to attack you directly?!"

Lee skids and halts himself as the remaining clones form up with Naruto. Lee breaths heavily as Naruto does slightly as well. "Lee!" He turns to his sensei. "You need to take down the original! You know the technique to use."

Lee almost questions, but instead smiles wide. He looks to Naruto. "Let us end this!" Upon ending the sentence, he disappears entirely, taking Naruto by surprise when a foot knocks into his jaw, launching Naruto into the air and making the Shadow Clones poof away. Naruto looks around with one eye open as Lee appears behind him. "Dancing Leaf Shadow. . ." Lee whispers.

Naruto chuckles. "Lurking in my shadow?" He turns enough to lock eyes with Lee. "You should fear what lies in my shadow."

A set of arms suddenly lock around Lee from behind him as the Naruto above him poofs away. "What?! How did you match my spee-" He turned his head just enough to lock eyes with the new Naruto. . . seeing red fox eyes. At first he's startled, but hardens his gaze as he locks his grip around Naruto's arms. "Then We'll both go down!" The two dive bomb down and spin. "PRIMARY LOTUS!"

Both crash into the ground, causing yet another large crash of debris. "LEE!" Guy called. This was getting tense as everyone was stunned. This Menma was matching Lee's speed and taijutsu! Sasuke even had his Sharingan active with a surprised look on his face. Gaara looked like he was gonna spring with joy over the opponents fighting. This atmosphere isn't helped when the debris clears, showing Lee getting up and Naruto on his feet, but obviously hurt. Both were hit bad as they looked at each other.

"How are you standing? I trained this technique, so I know how to take it. . . but. . ." Lee was in disbelief. Then he locked eyes with red again.

"I'm still waiting for you to force me into a second technique. . ." Naruto said, shocking Lee. Naruto rushes in, unleashing a flurry of hits on the fatigued Lee. He knocks Lee across the room, into a wall.

Lee starts to get up, using the wall for support as Naruto charged in with blinding speed, only Sasuke could detect their moving speed with his Sharingan. Just as Naruto closed the distance, Lee disappeared once more, letting Naruto's fist pulverize the wall. Naruto turns around, seeing Lee, now in the direct center of the room, arms crossed in front of him.

"Great. . . What now?"

Lee looks up at him as chakra pulses out of him. "I'll tell you. . . FIFTH GATE OF CLOSING: RELEASE!" He immediately powers up, skin turning red with his hair standing up. The power radiates the whole area.

Naruto simply glared at him with his fox eyes. "He'll be faster than me again, but I can take more damage. I just have to outlast him. . ." More chakra pumps through Naruto as the two stare for a split second, then disappear.

Every jonin, the Hokage, and Sasuke with sharingan activated are suddenly watching in awe around the room while everyone else is left with hearing the rapid sounds.

Lee knocks Naruto across the floor, scraping his face into the ground, but Naruto kicks Lee off, charging back and ramming him. Lee skids to a halt then disappears, uppercutting Naruto up into the ceiling, smashing most of the ceiling concrete. Naruto skids across the ceiling, dodging the chasing Lee before catching a punch and launching the green fighter into the ground below with a crash. Naruto comes down after him, punching and missing Lee who narrowly dodges. Lee spin kicks Naruto back charging after, right into Naruto's counter punch, launching Lee into he giant statue at the end of the room. Lee speeds out of the dust cloud back at Naruto, then appears behind him, kneeing him across the floor again.

Naruto rolls to his feet just in time to take a punch to the face, rocketing Naruto back until something catches him. He looks back confused, seeing Lee's bandage connecting Naruto to him. Lee pulls him right back in, preparing a final strike. Naruto, seeing the strike coming, strikes back himself. They close the distance, Lee kneeing Naruto's jaw, Naruto punching Lee's. The hits launch the two into opposite walls, bringing up two more clouds of debris.

. . .

A minute passes as everyone waits for the dust to clear. "Lee. . ." Guy says in disbelief.

Sasuke, having had his sharingan active the whole time unlike Kakashi, knew what he saw. It's just like whenever he uses the curse mark Orochimaru left last year. . . He instinctively clutched his shoulder, but withdrew his hand a moment later.

The debris clears. . . as both fighters stumble forth. Everyone is shocked as Lee and Naruto both look like hell. They stumble clumsily to the center to meet, both rocking back and forth from lack of strength to stand straight. Of course, Naruto's eyes are normal now.

Lee almost falls back, then swings forward, punching Naruto. Naruto, to keep himself from falling back, makes a clone to pull him back then disappear. Using the momentum, he jabs Lee, knocking him back a bit, but he barely finds footing. He swings back, hitting Naruto, then holding him in place to knee him. Naruto throws Lee off, grabbing Lee by his shirt and punching Lee three more times. Still holding him there, Naruto locks eyes with Lee, seeing something.

Gasping a bit, then calming his breath. "He's unconscious." Everyone gasps as they look closely to see Lee indeed, standing and trying to shake Naruto off while unconscious. Naruto smirks. "Well, if it puts him down, he'll be glad to know he forced me to use a second technique."

Naruto pulls his hand back, charging chakra.

"No. . ." Kakashi was completely shocked, as well as Hiruzen and every other high ranking ninja. They all glared at Zabuza, who was also impressed. Kakashi almost growled his response. "Where did he learn that technique!"

A swirling ball of chakra appears in Naruto's hand as he locks eyes with Sasuke up in the stands. "You showed us yours. . . let me show you mine!" Turning back to Lee, he moved to ram the technique directly into Lee's temple to kill him. "RASENGAN!"

A hand grips his wrist, halting his arm and saving Lee. Naruto turns to glare at Kakashi. "That technique is not meant to execute people." Kakashi's tone was of sheer disgust. "This match is over." He looks at Aoba, who nods.

"The winner is. . . Menma Namikaze." Everyone was shocked as they looked at the scene before them.

Naruto's grip on Lee's shirt tightened in frustration, but he let go, pushing Lee over and letting him fall flat on his back. The rasengan went away as Naruto tugs his hand away from Kakashi. He slowly, and very wobbly, walks up to his team. As he stops, he looks at everyone glaring at him. Neji in disgust, Gaara in glee, Sasuke in anger. They were all wondering what the hell just happened.

Naruto leans for support on the railing. Haku smiles at him. "Did you learn a lesson?"

Naruto glances at him. "Don't handicap myself anymore. . ."


	11. Chapter 11

Everyone had already separated for the day. In a month's time. They were told about the tournament format. The fights going as follows:

Menma vs Choji-

winner vs winner-

Neji vs Haku-

Finals: winner vs winner

Sasuke vs Temari-

winner vs winner

Hinata vs Sai-

Gaara- winner vs Gaara

Choji had pretty much resigned himself to forfeiting against Naruto, but Asuma was very much against that. Everyone had a month to train and hone techniques.

It's barely been an hour since Naruto's fight with Lee, and he was still swaying back and forth a little, but mostly acted like nothing was wrong.

Upon reentering the main part of the village, he looked around at how everything was exactly the same as before. People were bustling about with various errands, going about their days happily. Honestly, it sickened him to death. It only hurt his mood even more than Kakashi stopping him from killing Lee. Though, he supposed he would kill everyone soon enough, so it wouldn't matter.

Just as he was about to get to his, Haku, and Zabuza's temporary apartment, he stopped, finding himelf in front of a home. His home. Not surprising, it was covering with graffiti and horribly damaged. It comforted him, knowing his choice to end these people is fully justified. That is, until someone snapped him from his thoughts.

"Um, hi m-menma." He flinched from surprise, turning to see the queen of stutters. Hinata stood there, holding a couple bags.

"Oh. Hey." He looked at the house again, which she took notice of immediately.

"That's where he lived." Naruto looked back.

"Huh?"

"Naruto. . That guy you remind me of. H-he lived there."

He looked away a bit. "Well, seems like he wasn't that loved around here."

"Hated by most actually." She answered. She looked down to her feet. "Most. Not all."

Naruto looked at her, then to the bags. "Are. . . those cleaning supplies?" He was shocked.

She blushes. "Well, I, um. I clean this place up once a month." Before his shocked face is known to her, she suddenly starts searching through the bags. She pulls out a small container, holding it out to him. "Here. You were hurt from Lee, so, um. . ." Naruto just stared at the container, completely blanking on anything to say. He just dumbly took it.

"Uh. Thanks. . . Wait you said you clean this WHOLE place by yourself?!" She only nodded with a deep blush. "The hell?!" This was HIS place after all! No way could he just sit here while someone like her slaves over washing it! He took the first bag from her and began walking towards home in a grumpy manner.

"W-wait! You don't need to-"

"Too late." He said getting out some of the supplies. "Doing it." As soon as the supplies were out. . . "I can help it get done a 1000 times faster. Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

(One Hour Later)

Naruto made it back to the groups apartment without further incident. He stumbled through looking for something to eat or drink. The fridge was completely empty, so Haku wasn't here yet. He sighed as he shut it, turning around and seeing Kabuto sitting there.

"Well, hello there Menma." He but emphasis of the name of course. His innocent look now gone with a sinister grin. "How did it go? I assume it went well enough?" He looked at Naruto's clothes. "Well, someone tore into you for sure. I doubt someone did that while you fought full power, surely."

Naruto grunted and turned to find where he had placed his packs. He shut the door as he changed, trying to ignore Kabuto's banter.

"Orochimaru has finalized the plan."

"And?" Naruto says, almost putting his headband back on before deciding he hated wearing it.

"First round, the attack begins. The signal can come at any time. Since you're fighting that Akamichi, you should be at full power for it."

Naruto exits his room with his undamaged clothes. "I know he spent an extra year recruiting, but does he even have enough guys to take this place on? He was originally gonna use the Sand, right? As it stands, that Sand jinchuuriki you told me about will be a problem."

Kabuto smirked. "The Sand were disregarded in favor of a better fitting party. One with more power behind it. The Stone."

Naruto paused. "Why? What does that change?"

"Either way, we're just going to be having our forces wait outside, so it doesn't matter what kind of forces they are, as long as they're powerful, and two jinchuuriki of the Stone are much more powerful than one from the Sand." Naruto almost spit takes with that news. Kabuto continued. "Though it's likely only one will come, but either one has FAR more experience and a stronger demon than the sand brat."

Naruto nodded. "go on."

"Zabuza and Haku were only hired to be your proxy team. They won't be needed to actually fight so as soon as the third match is about to start, they will leave. Orochimaru is still set to face the Hokage. I'm assigned the task of retrieving Sasuke."

Naruto glares at him. Kabuto chuckles.

"Of course if you want a first crack at the Uchiha, it's your funeral. That's Orochimaru's next body we're talking about. We don't want him killed."

"Hmm." Naruto answers. "So fighting starts. The sand jinchuuriki will go nuts in the stadium, so all forces are avoiding it. The stone jinchuuriki will attack one side of the village while the giant five headed snake-"

"He prefers lord Ramba-" Kabuto said matter of factly.

"-The giant five headed snake attacks the other side." Naruto finished annoyed. "What about that Danzo guy? He's the one giving us this opening ain't he? Why isn't he helping?"

Kabuto sighed. "Dear Naruto, you lack tact. Danzo will be the remaining candidate to become Hokage after Sarutobi is dead. Well. . . that's HIS plan, but Orochimaru is aware of the threat Danzo holds. We kill him after the village is burned to the ground."

Naruto heads for the door, ready to go out for the day. "Anything else?"

Kabuto thinks to himself. "Hmm. There IS the possibility of Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade being in town at the time of the attack. Each of them are fully capable of fighting you, even at full power. Avoid them at all costs."

Naruto nods, then leaves.

(Mid day. In Naruto's mind)

"Hm?" Naruto grunted as he appeared in his mind. "Pretty rare for you to pull me in here. What's up?"

The water level was up to Naruto's knees, the water level rising as the seal weakened over time. "I'm curious if you still believe in our plan." The fox says behind the cage.

Naruto seemed offended. "Of course! As soon as the time comes, we destroy this village!"

"And the girl?" The fox stated more than asked.

Naruto actually took the time to think about that. "Well. . . I always knew that at least Iruka cared for me, but the number of people who deserve to die far outweighs the number that don't." He looked up with renewed anger. "It's necessary."

The fox appraises his little cohort. "Over this past year, you've managed to get long pretty well with me, despite our differences." Naruto raises his eyebrow.

"And?"

"You managed to temper my wrath. I'm concerned she may temper yours." He said plainly.

Naruto was about to speak out, but was cut off.

"It's a possibility. . . Just know that while the decision is yours. . ." The fox locks eyes with him. "Know the forces that will be against you. . ." With that, Naruto was thrown from his mindscape.


	12. Chapter 12

"You're sure that you haven't heard anything about him?" Hinata looked with pleading eyes to the drunken blonde woman.

The medical genius and sennin looked at the girl. "I've never met the kid personally, so I wouldn't know it if I did hear it." Tsunade raised her empty glass. "REFILL!"

Sakura, sitting there with a sweat drop, sighed and went to the kitchen. She came back with a full bottle of wine and started refilling the glass until Tsunade just took the bottle for a chug.

Hinata slumped back. "So no one can help now."

Tsunade slams the bottle down. "Well, I know one more person you can try." She jolted up. "Though I'm not sure you want to-"

"I'll do it!" Hinata interrupted. "To find Naruto I'll try anything." Sakura shook her head at that while Tsunade busted out laughing.

"Yeah, please refrain from using that phrase around the guy. If the pervert asks anything of you, bring him to me. He should be in town today."

Hinata blushes with how her phrase could've been taken wrong. "Who is it?"

Sakura face palms. "Please tell me, you're not sending Hinata to Lord Jiraiya!"

Shizune, now entering the room and hearing he conversation, decided to join with a dead panned face. "Oh, he was just caught at the bath house. . . peeping."

Tsunade growls as she shatters the bottle in her hand. "Hinata. . . I may be too drunk to go beat his ass. Take Sakura." Sakura's eyes glowed with relief. "After she gives me another bottle." Sakura's hope drained. Hinata, however, was glowing with the hope Sakura just lost.

(Ten minutes later)

"Ooooo. . . . . . . . oh ho ho ho. . . I would give anything for that. . . . there! Thaaaat's it baby. Heheee. . . . . . . . Oh, just a little more. . ."

SMASH! Jiraiya's head hits the ground with a lump on it. Sakura pulls him away from the bath house. "You gotta be so damn stubborn to attempt this after how Lady Tsunade thrashed you last time!"

Jiraiya whined out a reply. "I need this for research! Besides, if she were to help me with it, I wouldn't need to peep!"

Sakura pulled him up to face her. "YOU ASKED ME TO BE IN YOUR RESEARCH RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER!"

He held up his hands in defense. "Well, sometimes you need research on the flat chested-" He noticed her growing anger. "-I mean sometimes beauty comes in smaller, just as lovely, packages and-"

Sakura tries to swing another punch, but Hinata grabs and halts her from it. "W-wait. I need to speak with him."

Jiraiya's eyes lit up in hope. "Well, He-he-hellllOOOOO! You're Sakura's age but I can already tell you'll be a big bloomer. Hi, my name's Jiraiya. Let me know when you're 18-" He saw Sakura's rage building to ever new heights while Hinata covered her chest with a tomato red face. She was only a C, but with her age, that says something about what's to come.

"Just. . . answer. . . her. . ." Sakura barely stayed calm.

Jiraiya calmed as he looked at Hinata curiously. "What is it? Did I piss off Hiashi? He's so uptight! I said I was sorry about peeping on him and his wife all those years ago!"

"No I-" The reality of what he said sunk in and Hinata had to resist gagging. "I, um, wanted to talk to you about Naruto."

Jiraiya looked surprised. "Really? You read that book?"

Sakura and Hinata both were confused. "Huh?" They said simultaneously.

Jiraiya reached into a bag and pulled out an older slightly worn book. "I didn't think they sold it anymore. People HATED this book." He showed it to them.

"Tails of a Gutsy Ninja?" Sakura read it off. "No, we were talking about NARUTO Naruto."

Jiraiya seemed down after hearing that. "Oh, the kid. What do you need?"

"You knew him?" Hinata asked.

Jiraiya chuckled. "HA! I inspired his name! His father was an advent reader of that book and took the title character's name for his son."

Sakura and Hinata exchanged a look. "You. . . knew his parents?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Yup. His dad was a star pupil-" He just realized what he said. . .

Sakura pondered. "Wait, I thought the only official student you had was-" Both her and Hinata look at each other. . . then twist around to look at the Hokage faces. . . . then look back at each other.

Jiraiya pleaded. "Please don't do the girl squeal-"

"EEEEEAAAAH WHAAAAAT!?" They yelled in harmony. Sakura was already jerking Jiraiya back and forth. "Why the hell was he never aware of this?! Why the hell aren't WE aware of this?! I would have LOVED to know something like this?! I'm sure he would have been treated better if we knew this! How come his father I Minato Nami-fucking-KAZE?!"

Hinata was currently zoned out over a particular park of that. "Namikaze. . ."

Sakura and Jiraiya look at her, confused.

Hinata jolted up. "Uzumaki!" She bowed to Jiraiya. "Thank you."

Sakura yelled out. "Wait! We need to tell people this stuff!"

Hinata faced her with a frown. "Everyone already knows." Sakura was paused. "Remember what Mizuki told me. Our generation knows nothing. Everyone else is already aware of this." She once more faces Jiraiya. "Thank you again." She turns and sprints off at full speed.

Sakura looks between Jiraiya and the direction Hinata took off in. "Screw it." She runs after Hinata.

Jiraiya sat there, dumbfounded at how easy it was to get information out of him, a spy for Kami's sake! He mumbles to himself. "Telling that secret gets the death penalty. . . Wait? Mizuki's still alive." He cheers up. "I'll be fine!" He looks back towards the bath house. "Now, for more research. . ."

(Just moments later)

They just arrived at the Hokage palace. "We going to see Lord Hokage?" Sakura asked.

Hinata shook her head. "He never says anything."

Sakura looked Hinata up and down. "I'm liking super Hinata here. Totally focused. No stutters." This causes Hinata to stop and sink her shoulders.

"Now, I'm self conscious over how I normally am. . ." She mumbles sadly.

"Come on! You're on to something!" Sakura cheers for her as Hinata straightens up and walks to a door. She walks finds Izumo.

He seems confused. "Uh, hi? What can I do for you?"

"Can you look up some records for me please?"

"Sure, as long as it's not personal info on someone of course."

"Can you search for a woman who would be around my father's age. Last name: Uzumaki?" She gets out. Izumo nods his head and walks off.

Sakura looks confused. "You're looking for his mom? Why?"

Hinata looks away. "H-he left because he found something out about himself. If it was something about the fourth hokage, he shouldn't have felt that way. He would have been honored to know who his dad was."

Sakura finished. "So it would have to do with his mother." She connected the dots. "Then we'd know what to do about it!" Izumo came back up to them with a folder. "That was quick."

He shook his head. "Only one file fit the description. Let me have that back when you're done." He turns and walks away.

They find a spot to sit as they open the folder. Sakura read out loud. "The Red Hot Habanero?"

"Kushina Uzumaki" Hinata finishes. "Several involvements with one Minato Namikaze. . . It's her, but I don't see why-"

Sakura stares at Hinata. "What?"

"Died October 10th fourteen years ago. Naruto's birthday and the Nine Tail's attack."

Sakura was confused, then she looked at Hinata weirdly. "Dang Hinata, you even know his birthday? How much did you stalk him?"

"IT'S NOT STALKING!" Hinata yells in defense.


	13. Chapter 13

One week until the exams. Time has passed and plenty of training, too. Hinata has been pretty shut up about her thoughts, but Sakura's been with her most of the time. Today, though, they were heading out to find Sasuke.

Again, Sakura was out of the loop for whatever Hinata was doing. They were heading out to Training ground 7 later to find him.

Until then, we'll follow Naruto, who's having his fourth lunch of ramen from Ichiraku Ramen. Leaving the place, he was once more filled with good memories about him eating here with Iruka. In fact, he's spent most of his month here, making up for lost time eating its delicious food.

Belly full, he decided to find Haku. The two found themselves mulling about without an agenda whenever Zabuza wasn't hounding Haku with training. A lot of their conversation tends to be Haku instructing Naruto in morals. This results in a good deal of banter.

Unfortunately, Haku was nowhere to be found. Great. Being bored, he decided to head to the cemetery. If you want peace and quiet, why not? Sure, the dozens upon hundreds of dead bodies might be a downer, but if you let that bother you, get out you coward! He walked throughout the lines of graves, going through names out of curiosity.

One thing caught his interest. There was a new addition he didn't know was here. A little building with walls lined with names. He started reading a few off, finding none that he recognized. A grounds keeper walked by, and Naruto decided to ask him.

"Hey, what's this for?"

The man seemed surprised. "Oh, that? It was added about six months ago. A list of all citizens and ninja that are unaccounted for. Not necessarily MIA, those that are alive we believe we'll find some day."

Naruto looked through a majority of the names, finding a few that seemed familiar maybe? What surprised him most was the last name on the list. "Naruto Uzumaki. . ."

"Ugh." The grounds keeper sounded offended. "His name shouldn't be on there. Whoever added him and wants him back, I'll never understand."

Naruto looked over a column. Added by. . . Hinata Hyuga, Iruka Umino, Sasuke Uchiha. . .

He blinked several times with that last name. Sasuke. SASUKE submitted Naruto's name as someone to search for?

"I think my mind just blew up." He said dumbly. He got up and left, going towards the exit towards the grounds before stopping. He looked back, then turned to another section of the graveyard. A specific grave. He stopped at it before sitting cross legged in front of it. The grave read: MINATO NAMIKAZE.

Naruto just stared at the grave. He used to visit to pay respects every so often whenever people wouldn't run him out of the cemetery. They'd say he didn't deserve to come here, but he still snuck in to visit this grave in particular. His old hero, the fourth Hokage.

This time, however, was much more betrayed. "He's the one." Naruto mumbled. "The one that sentenced my life to be hell."

Yet, Naruto did not blame him. Naruto had never once blamed the fourth for his problems. Why would he? His existence saved the village. If it wasn't sealed inside of someone, it would have destroyed everything.

Naruto frowned. "You'd think they would have understood." He said out loud. They failed to understand and directed their hate at their savior. Now, the savior has come back a destroyer.

Naruto left the cemetery after paying his respects, moving out towards the forests to clear his head.

(Meanwhile)

Sakura and Hinata had arrived at the training ground, finding Sasuke and Sai. "Hey, guys! How's the training?"

Sasuke simply grunts. Sai replies. "It is progressing nicely. Kakashi has been arriving to help twenty minutes earlier that usually each day!"

Hinata was confused, but Sakura's jaw was on the floor. "You're kidding?"

"No." Sai says then looks at Hinata. "The training would be more pleasant if you brought your prettier friends here more often."

Sakura fumed anger, but let it vent instead of explode. "She actually needed to chat with Sasuke for some reason I don't even know." She heavily resisted the urge to attempt attacking Sai.

Sasuke stopped what he was doing and came over. "What is it?"

Hinata look apprehensive. "I think I know why Naruto left and where he is."

. . .

Ah, sunset. Such a beautiful time of day. Oh, Naruto's way too hyper to ever sit and watch one but he admits to them being nice to see once in a while. His walk through the woods seemed to do wonders with clearing his mind. He was focused. Ready for the events to come by the week's end.

He continued walking until coming across a field. He looked down the clearing, finding three training posts. "A training field?" He looked around a little more. "Oh, training ground 7, right. We had to know the locations of all of the grounds back in the academy." He scratched his head. "Too bad I don't remember how to get back."

"Namikaze." A cold emotionless voice called out. It was one Naruto really didn't want to hear right now.

He turned around, seeing the fellow genin. "Uchiha. . . What's going on?"

Out in the trees, Sai, Sakura, and Hinata were hiding and listening to the conversation.

Sasuke looked around. "You stumbled onto my team's training ground. What are you doing here?"

Naruto took that in. "Your team's? So you're on Team 7. I came by by accident. I was just leaving." He turned to walk away, but Sasuke had other ideas.

"What's funny is that our team isn't even the original." Naruto stopped, confused by the statement.

"Is that so? Who died?" Naruto asked.

"No one. Our original third member, Naruto, disappeared well over a year ago." Sasuke gauged his reaction.

Naruto's eye's widened. They PASSED him?! When?! He left after facing Mizuki. That let them pass him?! He quickly hid his reaction, but Sasuke had already noticed. "Those things happen." Naruto tried acting nonchalant. "Just walking around, I hear that guy wasn't missed by many people."

Sasuke almost smirked. "True, not a lot of people would miss the dead last student who terrorized people with childish pranks, let me tell you."

Naruto once again let his reaction show with a heated glare. It was only around for a millisecond, but Sasuke saw it. "Well, I'm not sure what this has to do with me."

Sasuke's look turned to his signature stare. "You're wearing a leaf headband, yet you act like you completely hate what this place stands for. You also seem to both recognize the village, but completely surprised by some things about it."

Naruto was starting to panic in his head. "I've been away for a long time. Are you trying to say something?"

Sasuke walks closer to Naruto until they're about five feet apart. "I'm just having trouble determining whether to call you Namikaze. . . or Uzumaki."

Silence. The group in the trees hold their breaths waiting for 'Menma's' answer. Naruto's face becomes a hardened cold stare. After a minute, he finally speaks sarcastically. "And here I thought you would call me 'Loser'."

Everyone's eyes widened. It was confirmed! Hinata almost felt like jumping out and hugging him, but Sakura held her back, shaking her head. "Not yet." She whispered.

"Naruto. . ." Sasuke said once to confirm. "That's you?"

Naruto's wicked grin appearing mocked him. "Surprised?"

Sasuke remains silent for a moment, forming his questions carefully. "Why did you leave?"

Naruto scoffed. "Why stay? To be abused? Both verbally and sometimes physically. To try being friends with you people, only to be mocked because of my lack of resources. My lack of help. To be lonely? There wasn't a single damn reason for me to stay."

"Or was it because you were lied to?" Sasuke suggested. Naruto tried to comment, but Sasuke stopped him. "My Sharingan saw the red chakra when you fought Lee. Kakashi didn't have his out, so only I saw. I already know about the Nine Tails."

Naruto whistled and slowly clapped. "Good for you. You figured out who the monster is." Naruto glares at Sasuke, eyes now red fox eyes. "What's it to you, emo?"

"What brought you back? If you came back, why under a new name?"

Naruto chuckled. "If you hadn't noticed, people have been far more accepting of me, despite my attitude, simply by me having a different name. It would have been stupid in every way to come back as 'Naruto'."

Sasuke glares. "And the reason you're back, then?"

Naruto locks his gaze with Sasuke's. "I'm a monster, right? I came back to do what monsters do."

Hinata could swear her heart just broke. She didn't want to believe what she heard as she started breathing fast. Sai looked to be getting ready to fight. Sakura was just plain surprised.

Sasuke steeled his gaze. "You can't possibly be serious."

Naruto chuckled. "Sasuke, you're the LAST person qualified to lecture me on the bad points of revenge. . ."

"If that's true, I'll stop you myself."

"If THAT'S true, you'll be the first to die." Naruto shot back. "If I was between you and your revenge, I guarantee you would follow the same sentiment." 

Sasuke narrows his gaze. "My vengeance on Itachi is a secondary goal. Restoring what I've lost is my dream." Naruto's expression is blank, as if asking an explanation. Sasuke sighed. "Back in the academy, we were the only two people who truly understood loneliness." He looked up towards the sunset. "When you were gone, it felt as if that loneliness had gotten worse. The only person who understood it was gone. I honestly felt like closing off completely from emotion." He looked back to Naruto. "But something about the loneliness told me to find a way to end it. Instead of bearing it to focus on my goal, I made it my focus. Kakashi, Sai, Sakura, and in a way, you helped me out of plunging further into the darkness."

Naruto was shocked that his absence had a positive effect on Sasuke. Take that as you will. "You gave up your revenge for those around you." Naruto stated.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes. Now, I'm curious about those around YOU." Sasuke activates his Sharingan. "There is no way you naturally came to the concept of revenge. The Naruto we knew would never even go close to that reaction. I know for a fact that someone had to have given you the idea. Who was it? Who trained you?"

Naruto looked down and smirked. He took a few steps towards Sasuke as the two locked gazes with red eyes. "The snake says 'Hi'."

Sasuke grabs Naruto by the shirt with his left hand as a Chidori immediately forms in his right hand. "Naruto. . . I swear to god and all, if you've spent this entire time with Orochimaru-"

Naruto grips Sasuke with HIS left hand and forms a Rasengan in HIS right hand. "YOU'LL what?"

They glare with their techniques ready to strike. "Take off the mask."

Naruto looks confused.

"If we fight right here, right now, I'm going to fight NARUTO. . . not Menma."

Naruto smirks. "Release. . ." His body heats up. The black in his hair burning, revealing a near golden blonde, his skin steaming as the whisker marks appear on his cheeks. He grins wide. "Better?"

Both pull back their attacks and go for the kill.

"RASEN-" Naruto is tackled from the side.  
"CHIDO-" Same with Sasuke.

Both find themselves pulled away in someone's arms. Sakura holding Sasuke back. Hinata clutching Naruto in a hug. Both of them normal, Sharingan and fox chakra gone.

Sakura looks at Sasuke until he nods. "I guess you'll have to face me in the finals if we want to fight." Sasuke and Sakura speed off from the site, Sai rushing to join them.

Naruto watching them go before looking down at the crying Hyuga burying her face into his shoulder.


	14. Chapter 14

The three members of Team 7 moved through the woods at high speed in quiet. Two were preoccupied with the events that just played out. The last, broke the silence, Sai.

"Are you sure we should leave her alone with him?"

Sakura answered him without looking back. "You never knew him, but he only ever gets to fighting words with those he views as threats. Mainly Sasuke back at the academy. I don't think he has reason to harm her."

"Besides." Sasuke cut in. "She wouldn't do well talking to him if we were there breathing down her neck."

"You left her there to try her hand and bringing Naruto back?" Sai inquired.

Sasuke didn't answer, seemingly distracted by something. "We're being followed."

The three halted when a large mirror of ice appeared in there path with the image of Haku on it. As Haku stepped out of it, the three leaf ninja got down into fighting positions. Sasuke runs through hand signs far too fast to see and places his index and thumb fingers in an O, ready to launch a fireball.

"State your business."

Haku calmly walked along a branch so he stood directly in front of them, but took no stance. "I came to speak. That's all." he said calmly.

Sasuke relaxed his fireball jutsu, but still kept an aggressive stance. "Good. I was thinking about questioning you, anyway."

Sakura still glared hatefully. "If you're on Naruto's team, and he works with Orochimaru, so does he. I say we take him down now!"

"My master and I were simply hired to play roles on Naruto's team. We don't work explicitly work for him."

Sasuke relaxed his stance then. Sai asked his question. "I see. You and that fake sensei. . . You were the two that killed a chunin team in the Land of Waves a year ago."

Haku nodded. "We heard you all played revenge and wiped Gato out. Seems we chose the right time to lead."

Sasuke grunted. "We were hoping to kill you or capture you for your secrets. Killing Gato was a bonus to get more work from the Land of Waves." Sasuke activated his Sharingan just to be safe. "So if you two were hired to be on Naruto's team, that makes Kabuto. . ."

"Our watcher. We're apparently important enough for the snake to use his right hand man for that."

Sakura was shocked that Kabuto wasn't who he said he was. If Sai was surprised, he didn't show it. Sasuke merely nodded. "You're betraying Orochimaru? Or here to chat me up before attempting to capture me."

Haku chuckled. "Originally, we were going to take the money and go, but playing team mates has given us express interest in Naruto."

"You WANT him to turn to the Leaf?" Sai said, curious.

"Sure seems the opposite with how you nearly KILLED me!" Sakura grumbled.

"I defeated you in such a way so there wouldn't be any lasting damage, and yes." He answered both questions. "I've spent most of the last month trying to push him in the direction of that, but he just argues, stubborn and annoyed at the suggestions. I followed him all day today until I noticed your little spat back there." He looked to Sasuke. "Maybe that girl can convince him. One can only hope." 

Sasuke's signature glare came back. "Care to explain your interest in Naruto that makes you want to help? Does it have anything to do with the Nine Tails?"

Haku shakes his head. Out of nowhere, he asked Sasuke. "Do you have someone to protect?"

Sasuke paused at that.

"You mentioned those close to you when you talked about them tempering your hatred." He looked at Sakura. "You only become truly strong when you have something, someone, to protect. Naruto on his own is one such person who has lost what he could protect. I know that his role should be to protect this village, then he would realize his full potential. That is my interest in him."

Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan and relaxed slightly as the others did so. Sakura subconsciously rubs the spot that Haku had driven a senbon into. Sai asked his new question. "So, tell us. What were the parameters of your mission?"

"Play team mates until the exam finals. We were to wait until the third fight of the chunin exams, awaiting a signal, before assaulting the one tailed Jinchuuriki."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Gaara? You'd attack him? Then he wou-" Sai finished.

"Let the beast out in bloodlust and attack indiscriminately. A useful diversion."

Haku continues from there. "For a full-force attack between the Sound and Stone on opposite sides of the village." They all gasp from that. Sasuke replies.

"The third match is my match. He wants me to tire myself out before he comes to take me." He looks off, thinking.

"I don't know anything about that." Haku says plainly. "The Shukaku will attack the stadium. The Stone and more than likely one of their jinchuuriki will attack one side of the village. The other side will be the Sound attacking with a giant snake summon. With all the commotion and division of the Leaf's forces, Naruto will be free to ravage the civilians. . . I'm hoping you all can turn Naruto and in turn tip the scales in your favor."

"We need to inform Kakashi or the Hokage." Sakura pleads as Haku holds up a hand.

"No need. My master visited your Hokage just a few days after the second exam. . ." Haku looked nervous a moment with an off smile. "He wanted to charge the leaf to help them. Have to make a living, but the Hokage said that letting us go as allies would be payment enough after last years confrontation. Business is business I suppose."

They stand in silence for a moment until Sakura breaks it. "Thank you for informing us."

Haku smiles. "No need. The snake was likely planning against us anyway." Haku flickers away, leaving Team 7.

(Meanwhile)

They still sat in silence. Naruto had laid down. Since the sunset passed, the moon was up. He hoped that maybe it could distract him from the coming conversation as Hinata was sitting, knees locked to her chest and looking up at the moon.

She decided to break the silence. "I'm sorry." She said almost too quiet. Naruto wished he didn't hear those words.

He didn't say anything. He refused to say anything.

She continued. "I knew you were lonely. I always knew it. I always wanted you to succeed, but I was never strong enough to say it openly." she dug her head into her knees. "Maybe if I had been strong enough to be friends with you. . . you wouldn't be where you are now?"

Naruto choked on that. She was blaming herself?! For something that EVERYONE did but her?!

"I took all my spare time trying to find out why you left, where you may have gone, anything." She started choking up. "I. . . don't want to believe it. I'm happy you're here, but-"

"STOP!" Naruto yells. He glares at her. "I hate this village for than anything. I hate these people live happily every single day because this thing is inside me. I would have never thought bad of it if they didn't look at me with those damn eyes like I was a plague. Like I killed all those people years ago!" His own eyes tear up as his voice quiets. "I hate them. They are the ones that did this to me. Not you. Don't DARE tell me you're sorry!"

She looks away as they end up in another long silence. He silently curses himself for giving into the conversation since now he's wondering why he said any of that. Why did he care? Once more, however, she ends the silence. "You're going to kill me too." His eyes flashed wide as he heard that. She smiles weakly. "If you're going to destroy the village, I'm going to die along with it." She slowly gets up. "If you truly want that. . . if you decide to kill me yourself, I won't care. I just wanted to be acknowledged by you. If it makes you happy, I'll be happy." She starts to walk away while his mind raced.

Him killing her. . . her blood on his hands. . . the image in his head sickened up. It disgusted him to his core, but he couldn't figure out why. WHY?!

Hinata stops as she turns, nearly no emotion in her eyes. "How did you learn to use the Rasengan?"

The question snapped him from the thoughts as he hesitated. He barely spoke his answer. "O-oh. . um. . . Orochimaru just, gave me the instructions on how to do it. I don't know why he wanted me to learn it. He even said he never tried using it himself, but he felt I should know it."

She thinks to himself. "I-irony. . . He's sick. He did it out of irony."

Naruto chuckled. "Heh. . I can see that. The fourth is the hero of the leaf that made it. I'm the villain that will destroy it. . . that is ironic." He laughed humorlessly.

"not that. . ." Hinata started to say then stopped. He doesn't know. . .

"What?" He got up, curious.

She looked away, deciding if she should say it. She decided if he didn't hear it now, he might not ever. She locked eyes with him. "The irony that you would use your father's technique."

That nearly broke him. One of the few people he hadn't placed blame on. Someone who was one of his heroes. . . His first thought was that he should be happy. Proud to know his father was that strong. . . then his second thought hit him. . . The man who sealed the Nine Tails did so to his own son! Naruto's teeth clenched in anger as he tensed up. Eyes flashed red as red chakra started to pour out of him. Hinata looked wide eyed as the chakra coated Naruto's body. Claws, canine teeth. . . the chakra creating fox ears and a tail behind him. Two tails. . . three tails. . .

Hinata did the first thing she thought of. She threw herself at him, grabbing him into a tight hug/holding him still. He started fidgeting, flinching, and almost beginning to fight back, but he started to calm down. The moment he made eye contact, seeing her eyes full of sincere concern, his eyes turned from red to blue. The aura around him slowly dissipated. Once it left, he shook in place as she let go, making sure he could stand on his own.

He clutched his head a moment. "S-sorry. . . . never goes well when I get to three. Worse when it goes higher." Then he noticed what he just said. "I mean. . . uhhh." Why would he say that so easily? He shouldn't give her secrets. She was an enemy. . . then why didn't she feel like one? "How did you do that?"

"D-do what?" She was confused.

"Just. . ." He couldn't finish his thought as he looked at his hands, flexing them.

She realized what he meant. "Well. . . it was thanks to your mom."

His eyes widened again. He looked at her with a gaping mouth open.

"I-it's how I found out you were a jinchuuriki." She started to explain. "After finding out bout your dad, I used that information to find your mom's records. When it said that she was the jinchuuriki before you. . . Then I started checking the biography part of her record."

He glared at the part about her being the jinchuuriki before him. The Nine Tails DEFINITELY never mentioned that tidbit of information. He would definitely was going to have a word with it.

"I guess I just remembered something from the record." He looked curious. "She had put in her own record, 'The only way to overcome the hate of the Nine Tails is through love.'" Naruto's eyes went wide. "She had put down that Minato- the fourth, did that for her."

Naruto's eyes went down to the ground. "I see." he suddenly felt horrible for his anger. "Being Hokage, he couldn't just ask someone else to have their child contain the Nine Tails. It was either to be me, or not happen at all." Naruto just started walking off.

Hinata almost followed, but he held up a hand to stop her.

"I. . . need to be alone."

Inside his mind, however, the Nine Tails simply sat. It sat lost in its own thoughts. . .


	15. Chapter 15

. . . Today is the day. No further contact was make between any of the genin. Today, they just hoped it went better than they were expecting.

Cheers uproared through the stadium. Crowds filled the seats with cheers and whistles for the combatants.

Below, the first two to show were the emotionless Gaara and his sister Temari. Next to show were Sasuke and Sai, followed by Hinata. Hinata didn't hardly pay attention to the crowds, of course wondering about someone else, so her shyness was not showing yet. The next to arrive was Choji. Then came Neji. The seven genin kept an eye on the entrance until finally, Naruto(Back in black hair and black eyes) and Haku appeared.

They took their spots in the line as they looked to the final exam proctor. Naruto immediately groaned. "Oh no." Haku chuckled.

"ALRIGHT, MAGGOTS. Listen UP!" A familiar snake lady called.

Temari "Weren't you the first exam proctor?"

Sai "It seems they didn't think we experienced her crazy enough."

Choji sulked.

Neji's eye twitched at the greeting.

Sasuke and Hinata were both too busy looking down at you know who.

"GAH! They thought I went easy on ya'." Anko added, sounding annoyed. "So I aim to prove em damn wrong! Now, here's the order!"

She reveals the same tournament setup they were all shown a month prior. Everyone appraised it, getting the idea.

Gaara glared. "So I have to wait for my chance with Uchiha?" He looked over, finding Sasuke, Sai, and Haku looking at him. "I'll get my rematch. . ."

"Wait patiently and you may get your chance." Naruto chimed cheekily. Gaara glared at him. "If you beat him, you'll get to face me. Not that you'll win."

"Enough!" Anko called. "Will the fighters for the first match step forward, please."

"Aw man. . ." Choji said nervously. Naruto chuckled as he stepped forward happily. Choji followed.

"Everyone else, up to the waiting area!" Everyone else slowly walked to the training area except for Haku.

He moved over to Naruto, whispering into the jinchuuriki's ear before walking up with the rest. Naruto and Choji stood off. Naruto smirking. Choji sweating nervous.

Up above. . .

Sasuke got up the steps first, getting surprised. "What are you all doing here?"

He stood there looking at everyone else from their age group. Lee, Tenten, Sakura, Shino, Kiba, Shikamaru, Ino, and Kankuro. Shikamaru stepped forward.

"When given a mission, I have the authority to go around certain rules. As such, I am also, in this mission, able to choose whoever accompanies me." He walked up to Sasuke, whispering to him. "My mission was to get together enough of us so we can control Gaara, should anything come up."

Sasuke frowned. "I was told the Hokage was informed of the situation. What do you know?"

"Just that the village is in danger." Shikamaru pulled back, not whispering. "Though I have a sneaking suspicion that Menma kid is involved."

"Naruto." Hinata states instantly, without any hesitation. Everyone looks at her who didn't already know. "It's Naruto."

Shikamaru's eyes went wide as he looked around for confirmation. Sasuke, Sai, and Sakura all nodded. "Ah man. . ." He looked at Sasuke. "Then please tell me what the hell is going on."

Below. . .

Anko stepped between the two. "ALLLLRight. . . I'm not gonna be some pansy about death like Aoba was! These fights end under three conditions. Either you die, you give up, or I assume that there is absolutely no possible way one of you has the chance to win. . . but by that meaning, if I believe there IS a chance you can fight back, I will not save you from being killed!" 

Choji flinched at that. Naruto's grin grew slightly.

"Any complaints? Good. You can go home if you had any!" She said harshly. "As ninja, you live in a world of death. Do not fear it. Welcome it!" She raised her hand. "AND!" She brought it down. "BEGIN!"

The crowd roared as Anko shuttered backwards, out of range from the fighters. Naruto just continued to grin at Choji, who was frozen. A moment passed as the crowd settled, soon calling for something to happen. Naruto's grin turns into a frown.

Naruto soon looks right at Choji. "Hey. . ." Choji flinches while looking at Naruto's lifeless eyes. "I'm waiting for you."

Choji flinches again, but this time gets angry. "OKAY!" He jumps into the sky. "LEAF HIDDEN TAIJUTSU! HUMAN BOULDER!" His body grew exponentially into a ball as his arms sunk inside. "HMMM!" His legs sink into his body. "HMMM!" his head sinks in last. "HHHHURRRAAAAH!" His body rolls as a spinning boulder. . . . coming at a laughing Naruto.

"AHAHAHAHAAAHAHA! OH MY GOD, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" He literally rolls as he laughs. That is until he sees the two tons of fun ball coming right at him. "SHIT!" He jumped out of the way.

The ball stops and rolls the other way following where Naruto landed. The black haired teen just dashes to the side with his hands in his pockets as Choji misses. Choji follows as Naruto jumps high into the air. The ball then bounces, which prompts a giggle from Naruto. It bounces again, heading straight for Naruto. The teen sobers up and twists midair, moving him just enough to dodge the giant ball. Naruto drops to the ground unharmed, jumping back to dodge Choji's descent.

Choji makes a crater and emerges from it in a daze. Naruto just looks at him, his giggles gone. "You have any other techniques? Preferable not like that one?"

Choji straightens his posture and prepares. "PARTIAL EXPANSION JUTSU!" His arm expands into a giant appendage longer than 50ft. "RAH!" He brings the arm down to Naruto, who dodges to his left. Choji retracts the arm as the other arm extends out at Naruto, who ducks to the right and dashes away from the chasing arm. Naruto leaps over, waits for another swipe, and slides under it to dodge again. Choji expands both arms, clasping his hands together as he brings them down, but Naruto dives inward in between the fallen arms. Choji retracts both arms so his closed fists can pull Naruto in. Naruto simply chuckles and jumps backwards over the shrinking arms and landing with his hands in his pockets again as Choji is back to normal size.

Naruto chuckles as Choji breaths heavy. "Well, that was a workout." In anger, Choji suddenly pulls out a small container with three colored pills. Naruto narrows his gaze. "And what do those do?"

Choji smiles. "You'll see-" Naruto cuts him off with a deadly glare.

"Is it worth using them? Against me? Will they help you win?"

Saying that made Choji remember to full possible side effects of using the pills. He started to consider it. Slowly, he started to put the case away. "No. The risk for those is too much." Choji glares at Naruto. "As a leaf shinobi, I have too much to protect, too much to fight for to waste my life for a chance to defeat a powerful opponent." He raises his hands. "I give up."

Naruto just grins as Choji walks off as Anko frowns. "The winner is: Menma Namikaze!" Naruto didn't hardly pay attention. He just watched as Choji walked off, looking broken. "Menma. . ." Naruto continued to just watch. "MENMA!" Naruto snapped to attention, almost wanting to yell back for some reason. "You won. Go up there." Anko said irritated.

Naruto sighed and walked after Choji. Why did he suddenly find that mere name annoying? He finally made it to the top of the stairs, mildly surprised to see everyone there. He walked right over to the railing to lean over and wait. "You're up." Haku nodded and started down the stairs. Neji walked by Naruto.

"I wonder how being a traitor feels?" Neji spat as he paused his walk.

Naruto smiles. "The humble branch member bitching about how he's second rate by birth has the right to judge me?" Naruto turns and looks at Neji with a wide smile. "Come back to me after Haku beats some sense into you. As is your fate." He said to mock him. After spending a month know about Neji, he heard most of Neji's habits.

Neji glared and continued down to the arena. Shikamaru cut in. "Naruto-"

"Save it!" Naruto doesn't even turn towards them. He leans over the rail to rest again. "We'll have time for the drama later." Shikamaru silences with that.

"AND NOW!" They all hear and pay attention to the coming fight. Haku stands off against Neji. "HAKU YUKI VS NEJI HYUGA!" The crowd roared in cheers, this being the most even matchup.

Naruto rests on his cheek, Hinata leaning onto the rail a few feet down from him. "Kick his ass." He said out loud. Everyone looked weird at Naruto, mainly why Naruto would care about any of the matches. . . one Hyuga hoped it was a sign.


	16. Chapter 16

Haku and Neji continued a stare off as they assumed their positions in the center of the arena. Anko smirked as she looked between the two. "Alright! Anything you two wish to say before the match?"

The Hyuga prodigy was the one to speak. "Are you not going to try any mind games with me like you did to Sakura?"

Haku just smiled back. "I simply wished to know what she had to fight for. I already know that you have someone to protect." He gestured up to the waiting genin. "You just refuse to do your duty."

Neji's killing intent flared. "Begin the match." He called to Anko. "I'll this upstart what awaits him and be done with it."

Anko smiled wide. "Begin!"

Neji moved into his Gentle Fist stance as Haku didn't move at all. Haku's smile was long gone, replaced by a serious stern look. Neji inched forward a little bit at a time. Once within five feet, Neji struck, leaping at Haku to attack. However, he hits directly as Haku's form shatters into ice. "An ice clone." He says plainly. He looks around, finding the chakra source. He looks directly above, finding an ice mirror aimed directly at him with Haku launching out of it. Neji jumps back skidding away as Haku smashes the ground Neji previously stood at.

Neji's stance wasn't even back yet as he found an ice mirror formed directly beside him. He barely detects Haku moving passed him into the mirror as he throws a strike back into the mirror, breaking it to pieces. He ducks to the left as Haku speeds by out of a shard, almost hitting his neck with a senbon. Haku jumps away and the two face each other in another stand off.

Haku prepares his hand signs. "I see I must go on the attack first. Very well, Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!"

Neji keeps his Byakugon active and his guard up as the mirrors appear all around him, trapping him in a large dome of mirrors. "Doesn't matter how you hide. I'll see you with my eyes." He looked around as Haku's image appeared on each mirror. Neji glared forward while checking each mirror. . . then his eyes widened. "What?"

Above.

Naruto was snickering, getting some of the genin's attention. "The Byakugon can't see through Haku's mirrors."

Hinata turned to him, confused. "H-how's that?"

Naruto smiled gleefully. "Well, number one: it's another bloodline technique, so its rules are different than most jutsu, but the main reason is simple. In the Byakugon's view, the mirrors are solid panels of molded chakra." He takes in a view of Neji trying to find which mirror had the real Haku. "The Byakugon SEES chakra along with the chakra network, but as long as Haku is inside a mirror, Haku is invisible to it."

They watch as Neji starts dodging several senbon attacks, parrying a few with a kunai. Sasuke watches with his Sharingan active. "Haku still moves between the mirrors." Sasuke observes. Everyone looks at him this time. "I can see his movements between each mirror. It's extreme high speed, but shouldn't Neji should at least be able to see when Haku leaves and moves to other mirrors. . . unless." Naruto smirks and finishes the thought.

"Haku's speed is Jonin level when modified by his mirrors. The Byakugon doesn't give the same type of perception the Sharingan has." Naruto says with a devilish smile. "It gives universal vision, but in terms of perceiving attacks, it's no different than any of us. He can't track the movements any better than you all."

"How do you win against that kind of bloodline?" Tenten was worried for Neji now.

"How do you win against the Sharingan?" Shikamaru stated. "Every bloodline has an advantage, but you can always overcome it. I can already assume three ways to beat this one." Everyone looked at Shikamaru. "Firstly, you can position an ally outside the wall of mirrors. Attacking from the outside would give you an excellent advantage."

"Which doesn't help one on one." Kiba stated the obvious.

"Second would be as Sasuke put it, being able to interpret and predict attacks with perception." Shikamaru nodded to Sasuke. "Third would be having a level of speed and power so that you could fight off Haku as you destroy the mirrors yourself."

"Like I did." Naruto says offhand. Everyone looks curiously at him, but returns attention to the match.

Lee smiled. "Neji is a member of Team Guy. We pride ourselves on physical ability." He pounds his fist to his chest. "If anyone can contend, Neji can."

Below.

"Thousand Needles of Death!" Senbon strike from all sides.

"Rotation!" Neji repels the entire assault. His spin ends as he continues to inspect the mirrors. "That's four times you've tried that maneuver! I'm getting bored!" Neji challenges. "Don't you have anything else?"

"Hmph." Haku takes slight offense. "Sorry to disappoint you. Maybe this helps?" He performs one handed signs as he continues throwing senbon. Neji dodges until he hears. "Certain-Kill Ice Spears!"

Neji sees the chakra flow through the ground below him! He flips out of the way as a row of ice spikes rips from the ground, chasing Neji around the dome. He then sees the senbon coming from behind while the spikes come from his front. "Rotation!" He uses the move mid-air, blocking the projectiles and shattering the spike before it could impale him. He dashes for the other spikes, using them as cover from half of the mirrors as he continues inspecting the area around him. "Thanks for the cover. I guess you didn't think that one through." He smirks.

"I should warn you when you use MY ice as cover. . ." Neji suddenly detects Haku coming out from the ice spike instead of the mirrors. He dashes away, skidding to a halt and dodging the attack as Haku disappears into the ice spike. The ice shatters as Haku's image appears back in his mirrors. "Impressive." Haku commends.

Neji rears back. "Enough of this! Open Air Palm!" He launches the blasts of wind in all directions into the mirrors as the ice takes the hits straight on without shattering. "What?"

"Hmph." Haku sounds annoyed. "Ice is made from the elements of wind and water. You thought you could destroy them with one of the two elements that makes it? Maybe if you were a couple times stronger. . ." Haku taunted. Neji prepared to get out an explosive tag. "You should also know that fire doesn't melt them." Neji halts. He could hope the shock wave can shatter the ice, but that would be a gamble. If it didn't break the ice, the shock wave would bounce back and damage him instead.

He took his stance once more. "I see. I need raw power to break the ice, but I need to stop you from interfering? You're more than helpful with your advice." He smiles until more needles head down. "Rotation!"

This time, however, as soon as the Rotation stops, Haku slips through, punching Neji back and hitting his in the thigh and arm with two senbon. Neji stands his ground, ripping the senbon out while he tries to counter, but Haku retreats into his ice before he can. "I think you need the advice. . ."

Neji gets ready to argue back just before feeling a stab into his back. "GAH!" He looks back, finding a senbon in him. "H-How?!" No. . . he couldn't have!

Haku smiles. "Didn't you notice that each Thousand Needle attack initialized from a different angle? I guess everything has a blind spot." The Haku images all had different taunting smiles. "360 degree vision seems to be a lie."

Neji moves just as another senbon tries to move into his blind spot. He had to keep moving. Sure, he could radiate chakra and let that fill in the blind area, but then his chakra pool would exhaust faster. He couldn't last doing that. He needed to get out, and he knew how. "Fine, I'm busting out of here!" He moves into a new stance. "Rotation!" The was no attack against him as the swirling dome of energy appeared. Suddenly, it seemed to Haku as if a massive symbol was inscribed on the ground with Neji in the middle. The rotation was only wide enough to fill an inner circle of the symbol. The ice mirrors were inside the second circle. . .

Suddenly, the Rotation extended out, filling up the entire structure of the ice mirrors. The mirrors try containing the force, but are all shattered outward as the massive Rotation ends with Neji in the center of a crater, breathing heavily. Haku exits a falling mirror shard and lands unharmed, staring at Neji. The Hyuga kick starts into a full charge. He charges the chakra for his Gentle Fist, roaring as he strikes.

However, his strike hits a solid wall of clear ice that forms entirely around Haku. "Ice Dome." Haku, being on the inside, just looks at Neji. "You should be proud. The bird broke out from its cage." Neji pauses. "I thought you said that couldn't be done." Haku says wittingly. Haku did his best to control his breath, exhaustion creeping. Both he and Neji were nearing the end of their stamina.

Neji knew he was almost done, but that last comment. . . "Stop your damn mind games!" He begins to unleash a hail of strikes onto the ice, causing cracks to appear through the whole dome protecting Haku.

Haku continued to rant at Neji. "Had you a clear mind and conscience, you would not be affected by such words. You fully have the means to go wherever you wish in life, but your own misplaced anger and loathing is the very thing keeping you caged."

"SHUT. UP!" Neji strikes and shatters the dome. "TWO PALMS!" He strikes Haku, noticing too late that the Haku he his was an ice replica. The replica shatters as his Byakugon locates Haku, rising from a horizontal ice mirror on the ground ten yards behind him.

Both Haku's hands were up, separate, as they each went into one handed hand signs. He's doing two jutsu simultaneously?! Everyone was shocked at this as Haku finished one set of hand signs.

Neji tries to charge a rotation, until he realizes he wasted his chakra breaking into Haku's dome in anger. "Ice Dome. . ." He hears Haku say as the dome appears around Neji, caging him. "Time to end the caged bird. Certain-Kill Ice Spears!" The spikes of ice rips across the ground, into the dome where Neji tried to throw a guard up.

Just as the spikes closed in for a killing blow, Neji heard one horrified cry. "NEJI!" He looked over, seeing the horrified look on Hinata's face above. His eyes shut, expecting death, until the ice spikes moved and formed around him, pinning his entire body down without causing damage.

He cautiously opened his eyes, finding Haku holding a senbon to his throat. "Do you see? If your fate was so certain, why did you lose?"

The crowd was silent as Neji turned away. "Perhaps my fate is to die caged."

Haku shakes his head. "I know for a fact why that isn't true." Neji looks at him, curious. "Because my fate was to die, beaten to death by my father in my home years ago by order of his village." Everyone seemed to pay special attention. "My fate was to be a cold corpse in the snow." Then Haku smiled wide. "But I found someone. I fought for them. They made me strong. I made myself stronger still." Haku put his weapon away. "I changed my fate through protecting that which was precious to me. You already have something worth protecting. Family. You should find it easy to choose your own fate." He released his ice spike jutsu, letting Neji down. "My 'mind games' are my way of teaching those who are lost. Cause when you have someone to protect, that is when you become GENUINELY strong."

Neji, through exhaustion, fell to his knees. Anko, amused with the display, walked over clapping. "Well, I guess that settles things." She held her arm out to Haku. "The winner is: HAKU YUKI!" The crowd roared with applause as Haku walked back up to the others. Neji was taken away by medics as Haku made it up to the rest and moved by Naruto.

"Be more theatrical." Naruto snickered.

Haku smiled back. "Just waiting for you to accept my advice."

Naruto turned back towards the arena, looking towards the sky. "Soon. . ." Everyone suddenly felt on edge. Naruto smirked. "This round. . . it happens."

"AND NOW FOR THE NEXT MATCH!" Anko announced below. Everyone flinched at the announcement. Sasuke nodded as he and Temari walked down.

. . .

Up with the Hokage. . . "Well, well. It seems we have a match between Konoha's Uchiha and the Kazekage's daughter." Hiruzen proclaims with pride. "How do you think she'll do?" He turns to his guest.

The Kazekage chuckles. "I think all my children have already passed Chunin level. My son, Kankuro, would have made it already had there not been preliminaries."

Hiruzen sighs. "I understand the statement. We always run the chance of having our strongest eliminating those that are already ready to make the next step, but there is no other way to make it work."

The Kazekage laughs. "But isn't that the thrill? The uncertainty?"

"I suppose." Hiruzen says with his eye inspecting his associate.

. . .

Sasuke and Temari start to take their fighting positions. "Ready?" She asks.

"Hmph." They stand off as Anko steps up to them.

"You maggots ready to go a few rounds for the people?" She asked with a smile.

Sasuke looked Temari in the eyes, giving her a nod as Temari replied the same. Sasuke turned to Anko. "Actually. . . I want to make a suggestion." The crowd's cheering died down a bit to try to hear the words below.

Anko narrows her gaze, but her curiosity gets the best of her. "Spit it out."

Sasuke adopts an uncharacteristic look oh partial(Very partial) Concern. "Isn't the point of these fights to properly show the people of the nations new upcoming talent for the ninja?" Anko nodded. "Well, I feel that the earlier matchup of Choji vs Menma didn't properly fit the meaning of these exams."

Anko narrows her gaze more, getting suspicious. "What are you implying? That's how the tournament came down."

Temari broke into the exchange. "Well, I actually agree." In her own tone of innocence. "In fact, Menma didn't display nearly any abilities whatsoever. It was an unfair match. Plus, the Akamichi won't get a fair chance to display his own skill."

Sasuke continued for her. "I think it would be more fair to give Choji a better chance." Sasuke spared a glance up at the confused genin above. "I could fight Menma right now, and Temari could face Choji next round if she could agree with that." He finishes giving her a 'take it home' look with a smirk.

Temari shrugs. "I'd be completely fine with it. I want to give fair chances to all allied shinobi." She finished diplomatically. The crowd started gossiping and talking amongst themselves. . . many liking the idea.

Naruto was looking around almost in a panic. "What the hell is he doing?"

Anko scoffs. "Listen, brat. You may be a hotshot, but WE make the rules. You can't simply make demands."

"Very well!" A voice booms overhead. Anko turns to question the Hokage who cuts her off. "Listen to the people." The cheers and whistles filled the arena as Hiruzen smiled. "Let us give them what they want!"

"B-but Lord Hokage!" Anko pleads.

Temari chuckles. "Guess I'm out." She leaps up into the air, landing on the railing for the genin waiting area. She looks at Naruto, who looks completely defeated. Naruto straightened up, a smile on his face now.

"Fine. . . he wants to play it this way!" He quickly got ready to leap out, but stopped. He slowly turned to the Hyuga next to him. "You know what's about to go down." She tries her best not to look, but nods. He smiles. "I want to ask one thing." Her ears perk up. "What was my mother's name? Just in case I never have a chance to find out." He asked with honest curiosity.

She allows a sad smile. "Kushina. . . Kushina Uzumaki."

He looks up in thought, letting a small true smile appear. Then he looked at everyone darkly. "I'll see you all later. . ." He jumped from the rails out into the exact spot Temari stood with Sasuke.

Anko still looked pissed, saying something about children getting their way. Sasuke smirked at Naruto. "So. MENMA. How do you feel about this?"

Naruto smiled. "Honestly, I think I like it."

Anko grumpily held her hand up as the crowd cheered. "NEXT MATCH, MENMA NAMIKAZE VS SASUKE UCHIHA! BEGIN!"


	17. Chapter 17

"BEGIN!"

Naruto and Sasuke both speed blitz, each preparing their techniques at a moment's notice.

"RASENGAN!"  
"CHIDORI!"

The jutsu clash in a radiating clash of energy before exploding in the faces of the two fighters, earning an instant round of cheers from the audience. Naruto and Sasuke rocket away from each other tumbling end over end until rolling to their feet and dashing back in with blinding speed.

Like with Lee, Naruto found himself engaged in a heavy strike exchange with Sasuke, blocking hits, sending his own, preparing counters, and parrying. Naruto ducks a kick, attempting to punch back, only to find Sasuke easily dodge it while elbowing Naruto back. Naruto skidded backwards to a halt.

"YEAH!" Kiba yelled. "Sasuke won that out!" 

Lee shakes his head. "He only won two to his Sharingan's ability to see all Naruto's movements. He could predict it."

Sakura balls her hands into a fist. "KICK HIS ASS SASUKE!"

Hinata glares at Sakura, but doesn't voice her opinion.

Sasuke quickly flashes several handsigns. "Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!" Dozens of shuriken appear as Sasuke expertly launches them at Naruto who prepares himself.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Four Narutos appear, launching all of their kunai and shuriken, but only manage to clash with Sasuke's opening wake of projectiles. The rest nail the clones, causing them to poof, but the smoke reveals Naruto smiling with a demon wind shuriken. He throws it at Sasuke, the large shuriken plowing threw the army of small replicas.

Sasuke appears unamused as he ducks back, letting the shuriken fly harmlessly over him. He gets back up as Naruto charges, and he hears a poof behind him. Turning in surprise, he finds the shuriken has turned into a shadow clone now throwing a kunai to Sasuke's exposed back. Sasuke turns in time to dodge it as both Naruto and the clone close the distance from both sides.

This time Sasuke finds himself bombarded. Turns left to parry a punch. Right to block a kick with his knee while blocking a punch from his left. The strikes keep coming as Sasuke jumps back to put them both in front of him, in his vision. Now, he holds them off better until his Sharingan shows neither of the two are real. . . "Shit. . ." He detects Naruto behind him as he hurriedly fights off all three opponents, starting to take a punch here and there.

Above. "Smart." Shino complements. "Using shadow clones to attack from multiple directions, so Sasuke's enhanced vision can't focus on the full threat. Perception or not, you must at least look in the direction of the coming attack."

Hinata unknowingly smiles as, when Sasuke turns to punch the real Naruto, both clones each grab an arm, uppercutting Sasuke with their off hands while the real Naruto punches Sasuke's gut. This rockets the Uchiha back. Sasuke throws two kunai at the clones while the three fighters charged. Naruto noticed too late that the kunai had wires attached. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Fire encases his body as the flames spread down the lines of thread, igniting on the clones as the clones tried to deflect the kunai, getting rid of them.

Naruto halts, not getting clones to Sasuke while the fire is active. Sasuke smiles as the fire dies out, showing his finished follow up jutsu. "Fire Style: Pheonix Flower Jutsu!"

Naruto, cut off to his sides by the flaming chakra threads, leaps backwards into the air to avoid the first shot, but finds the next two closing in on his in the air. Naruto starts to perform his own hand signs. Sasuke thinks to himself, let's see what else that snake taught you. "Wind Style: Vacuum Blast!" He take a brief breath before spinning in mid air, releasing a wind blast spiraling around him, directing the flames of the two mini fireballs to spread out away from Naruto. Naruto lands on the ground, wiping off sweat from the closeness of the flames just before.

"Another good move." Sai noticed.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't get it. I thought fire overtook wind."

Sai smiled fakely as he explained. "Indeed, the direction of the winds greatly affects and strengthens flames. Naruto used that to direct the flames harmlessly away from him. Even if the jutsu became more powerful, it missed Naruto instead of hitting."

Sakura huffs annoyed. "Know it all. . ."

Sai holds up his smile. "I read it in a book-"

"No one cares!" Sakura, Kiba, Tenten, and Temari yell at him, but he only smiles back.

Naruto smiled as he brought up his favorite sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Over a hundred Naruto clones. He gets his signature foxy grin. "Get him!" The clones all close into the defending Uchiha, who's smile challenges the clones to come. His hand lit with lightning as he spun in place. Naruto barely ducks down with a dozen of his clones as an extremely long blade of lightning extends from his hand, slicing threw nearly all of Naruto's charging horde.

One clone prepares a rasengan and charges. "Rasengan!"

Sasuke swings the now shortening to proper size blade. "Chidori Sharpspear!"

The lightning technique clashes with the rasengan, but soon pierces through, cutting the clone down. Sasuke retracts the sword to a foot length, taking a normal taijutsu stance with it before charging Naruto and the rest of his clones.

Naruto forms up with a clone as they combine two rasengans together into a much larger one. Naruto smiles as Sasuke glares. Naruto charges as the techniques meet.

"Odama Rasengan!" (I refuse to ever say the english name of "Big Ball Rasengan". It is stupid, even if I'm using English names and honorifics for most everything.)

The techniques clash in another chakra spewing exchange. This time, the explosion separating the two launches each into the concrete walls on the opposite sides of the arena. They each hit hard, but Naruto's leftover clones charge in on Sasuke. The Uchiha gets up as the whole group surrounds him as lightning sparks around Sasuke. "Chidori Stream!" The lightning courses all around him as he dashes through the clones, eliminating the last of them. He and Naruto smile at each other again.

Naruto chuckles. "You use a LOT of lightning don't you?" Naruto snickers when Sasuke's smile falters. "I know what trumps that." Naruto placed his hands in front of him, forming a rasengan between them.

Up in the crowds, Kakashi's eyes go wide. "It can't possibly be. . ."

Naruto quickly adds. "I'm nowhere near completing it, but I hope it does the job." His face suddenly shows extreme strain. A vain appears at his temple as he concentrates fully on the rasengan. Sasuke backs away slightly as the ball of energy starts to glow white, with two opposite side chakra blades spinning around it. The chakra of the attack fills the arena as the kage above show great interest.

Naruto finishes charging as he looks up at Sasuke with a devilish grin. Sasuke quickly forms, not one, but two chidori in each hand, doubling his chances against the new technique as Naruto ran full force at Sasuke. The distance closes as Naruto calls out. "Wind Style: Rasengan!"

Sasuke brings his chidori together in an attempt to block the technique, but is quickly overwhelmed. Just as the technique is about to win out, the ball malfunctions, exploding on both Naruto and Sasuke, blasting them apart.

Kakashi above breathed in relief. "That's about what to expect. Still, at 14 years old. . ."

Sasuke and Naruto struggle to get up, barely getting to their feet. They look at each other, Sasuke tired and Naruto frustrated. "Damn it. . . I was hoping I could hold it that time."

Sasuke smirks. "It's too bad you don't have fire jutsu. . . I've been working on something I've been itching to test." Sasuke's chakra flares. "But. . . this shouldn't go any longer." Sasuke stands up as his chakra changes from blue to purple. Naruto already knew what was coming. The mark on Sasuke's neck burns red as it spreads and changes over his skin. "I'll use the power Orochimaru gave me to end the snake's schemes."

Anko immediately started sweating as she looked to the Hokage for permission to end the match then and there. Hiruzen, however, shook his head no, leaving her to curse to herself.

Naruto braces himself as Sasuke's Curse seal level one start completes. Sasuke smiles as he near disappears with speed. His fist crashes into Naruto's jaw from nowhere.

"YEAH!" Kiba yells, however that would be short lived.

Naruto holds his ground from the hit as he looks at Sasuke, despite a fist planted into his cheek. Naruto's eyes burn red as a red chakra auras around him. Hinata recognized it as the way his chakra formed before it started to form any particular shape or tails.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's fist out of his face, pulling it aside and punching Sasuke back just as hard! Sasuke responded by kicking back, nailing Naruto in the gut. While this knocks the air out of him, Naruto grabs the leg, pulls Sasuke up and slamming him into the ground. Through the grab, Sasuke twists his legs around and slams Naruto down into as arm bar. Naruto powers through, pulling his trapped arm up enough to slam it down into Sasuke, getting it free. The two roll apart then disappear in a flurry of taijutsu.

They appear in the air as Sasuke kicks Naruto away, only for a second Naruto to punch Sasuke away as they disappear again. This next time, part of the ground smashes as a large rock ends upright, Sasuke on top of it sending out a fireball. An explosion hits as both disappear again. Sasuke stops in the center of the arena as four clones charge him. He spin kicks one while blocking another, gaining time to grab and throw it into the third. The last elbows Sasuke as the Uchiha back kicks it.

After the last poof, the ground erupts as an entire rope of Naruto clones holds Sasuke by the ankles, spiraling in the air and slamming him into the ground. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Fire erupts from the crater, blasting through the line of clones to the original, knocking the original back.

The two appear, battered and beaten, staring at each other in the arena. The crowd was now silent, unsure what to think of the two monsters facing each other.

"I've been meaning to ask." Naruto broke the silence. "Why push to fight this soon?"

"Whatever's coming happens during this match. I was going to end up tired either way. I figured I could prove which of us is stronger."

Naruto shuts his eyes for a moment, then looks up into the sky. He looks around, finding clouds, blue, the sun, and finally, tiny ethereal feathers floating down from the sky.

Naruto looks at Sasuke. "One more move." Sasuke is taken off guard by that. "One more move. Put everything you have into it is it's that important."

Sasuke nods as the two's auras of chakra intensify. "No. . ." Sakura says horrified. "Don't use more of the curse seal's power. . ." 

The black marks on Sasuke's skin burn bright orange as it covers his body, then darkens into a dull gray. His hair grows wilder as it alters into a dark grayish purple. Two lumps push from the back of his shirt until two hand like wings rip free. Everyone gasps at the new appearance before looking to Naruto.

The supposed Namikaze overflows with bubbling red chakra, taking on the shape of a fox as his fangs and claws sharpen. He hunches over with a smile on his face. His hair grows wild as feral whiskers start to appear on his face. "Guess I can't hide anymore." He says in a chuckle. The red chakra burns away at his features as his black hair seems to scrape off into ashes, leaving his blonde hair in its full glory.

The crowd releases several shocks grunts, gasps, and screams seeing Naruto return. Naruto, ignoring them, holds his hand out, forming a red rasengan. Behind him, two tails whip back and forth.

Sasuke forms a chidori as the lightning darkens black. . . They glare at each other as the power builds. They charge. "RASENGAN!" "CHIDORI!"

The new clash results in a blackened dome of radiating chakra, producing a concussive form felt from the stands. Everyone looks in awe as the two attacks erupt on each other, shaking the entire arena in one shock wave and coating the whole area in dust debris.

The genin all looked in awe until Haku looked up, seeing the transparent feathers Naruto saw earlier. "Be ready." He says to all the genin and Shikamaru. All the sudden people started falling asleep all around the stadium. "The signal just arrived."

Everyone immediately called out. "Release!" repelling the genjutsu.

Hinata paused after releasing the jutsu, placing her hands together, praying.

**(Elsewhere)**

Two guards sat on a guard tower on the opposite end of the village. "Hey Kanari." One called to the other.

"Yeah, Ken?"

"You ever wonder why we're here?"

Kanari sighs. "One of life's great mysteries isn't it-"

"No quoting. I meant why are we on guard duty here when we know a threat will attack the stadium?"

"Well, I suppose-" The guard tower is suddenly crushed under a giant snake. It rams through the outer wall of the village, showing off five large heads and launching flame attacks from its mouth. It tries to ram further into the village until a foot knocks the entire beast back into the outer wall. A horde of Sound ninja flow in, halting as their tank like summon is tossed back towards them.

They step aside and look at the threat in front of them. "Being a gambling girl, I'd be more than willing to bet on this situation." A blonde steps up, flanked by a large unit of Leaf Chunin, along with Hiashi Hyuga, Ibiki Morino, Shizune, and Aoba. Tsunade finished her statement. "I'm going to bet you won't last five minutes." she cracks her knuckles as the Sound ninja charge.

**(Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the village) **

The outer wall crushes inward by a hail of rock jutsu. Stone ninja flood into the village as the commander rockets in, steam flowing around him. The five tailed jinchuuriki Han kicks through the support for a building. A stone ninja approaches. "Sir, area secure. You can initiate your transformation, Lord Han."

He nodded, and with a loud roar, erupted in chakra as massive hoofs crushed the surrounding buildings. The five tailed horse Kokuo appeared in Han's place. As it rears back. . .

"NINJA ART SUMMONING: BRING THE HOUSE DOWN JUTSU!" A giant toad lands on Kokuo, slamming it into the ground. The toad leaps off as the Sennin Jiraiya jumps from it. "Summoning Jutsu!" He summons as second giant toad, landing on the new one with two smaller toads on his shoulders.

"Jiraiya, boy. I see you only summon us when you deal with THESE kinds of situations." The elder toad stated.

Jiraiya chuckles as his appearance starts to change. "I'm sorry masters, but it's a habit that makes me me. You ready Gamaken? Gamahiro?" He calls to the two toads.

"Of course, Lord Jiraiya."  
"I hope my clumsiness doesn't get in the way."

Kokuo chakily gets up, anger evident in its eyes.

**(Also Meanwhile)**

The entire area around the Kage balcony erupted in an explosion as a purple rectangular barrier formed around it.

Inside, Hiruzen stood off against Orochimaru. Hiruzen smirked. "Orochimaru? I'm surprised you impersonated the Kazekage. Why didn't you enlist the Sand's help then?"

Orochimaru chuckled. "I used to be in an organization that held many working relationships with the Stone. I just needed to ask a favor in return. After how much they despised the fourth Hokage, they were all too eager to help me."

Hiruzen scowled. "and the Stone and Sand wouldn't work together. You went with the stronger military force?"

The snake just grinned. "Exactly right, Sarutobi sensei. But alas, no more time to talk. Summoning!" The roof tiles around Orochimaru rumble as three coffins shoot up. Hiruzen's eyes widen in horror.

"Not THAT forbidden jutsu!"

**(With the Genin teams)**

The ground shook with the erupting action. "Well, isn't this fun." Sai said with real sarcasm. He abandoned his smile as he pulled his tanto.

Gaara held a smile full of malice. "Let the enemy come. I'll kill them all." He tries to step away, but Lee steps in his way.

"That is unwise. You are an enemy target."

Gaara just looks at his with eyes looking to kill. "I'll kill any who get in my way."

"GAARA!" Temari and Kankuro both yell to try to calm him.

Gaara finds himself unable to walk, looking down to the connected shadow between him and Shikamaru. "You are under orders to stay still."

"You intend to stop me?" Gaara challenges.

Shikamaru tenses with the challenge, but doesn't move. Everyone moves to surround Gaara, until.

"My, my. I thought it was MY job to disrupt the party." A smooth chilling voice calls. Everyone looks towards the new comer, an ANBU, by the looks of it.

"Take off the mask, we know you're not ANBU." Tenten threatens while pulling out a kunai.

The imposter takes his mask off, revealing silver hair and large glasses. "Relax. My business is with Shukaku." Kabuto reveals as he steps into a fighting stance.

Down below, the dust and debris clears, showing Anko with Naruto and Sasuke. She glares at Sasuke, who ignores her stares, still in his curse seal level two state.

"You should be helping in the stands." Naruto suggests, still in his two tailed state, but very beaten up.

Anko narrows her gaze at him. "And why would you know what I should do?"

Sasuke turns to Anko. "Don't worry. I won't let the snake capture me that easily."

Anko considers this for a moment as she looks through the fighting in the stands, quickly finding Kakashi and Guy fighting back to back. She nods to Sasuke, jumping up into the intermixed fighting above.

The Uzumaki and Uchiha continue to glare at each other, but Naruto starts to look through the chaos erupting around them, seemingly appraising it. His expression is unreadable as he takes it all in.

"You helping us out or not?" The question threw Naruto off.

He looked at Sasuke confused, a weird expression with the fox features. "Huh?"

Sasuke sighs. "You've been acting different today and even intimidated Choji into forfeiting to save his life. I already know you don't have it in you to destroy this place. Are you helping or not? I have other things to take care of." He turned to walk away before Naruto cut him off.

"Attacking from below." Sasuke turned around with a weird look. "Orochimaru can't take the old man one on one, so he's likely going to use the Reanimation jutsu, Edo Tensei, to bring the dead back to gain the advantage." Sasuke listened to him and looked at the purple barrier. "The barrier is too tall to go over and encases all sides, but it's more than vulnerable below. . ." Naruto took an annoyed look. "I don't know why he would place it on a building. Dumb move."

Sasuke saw what he was saying and smirked. "So all it took to turn you was Hinata?"

Naruto glared. "Shut up. . ." 

Sasuke shook his head. "To give up so easily because she's a girl. Such a loser."

Naruto "Shut. up."

"Sai will love how whipped you turned out to be."

Naruto smirked. "Just as Ino would like to know how those close to you inspired you to give up revenge?"

Sasuke stopped at that and they glared at one another. "Truce." They mumbled simultaneously as they shuttered away.


End file.
